19 Aug 2016

NZ sailing duo Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie win silver

5:21 am on 19 August 2016

Rio 2016 Olympics - New Zealand sailors Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie have won silver in the women's 470 class.

Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie in the 470 women medal race August 18, 2016.

Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie competing in this morning's medal race. Photo: AFP

The duo had been in second place overall heading into the race, but were never in a position to take gold as the team from Great Britain team were too far ahead and had already secured the top spot.

The New Zealand pair came third in this morning's medal race, following Slovenia and the Netherlands.

The gold medal winning British women's crew of Hannah Mills Saskia Clark finished eighth, and Camille Lecointre and Helene Defrance of France were sixth in the final race and took bronze.

Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie celebrate after medal after the 470 race.

Aleh and Powrie celebrate their silver medal win Photo: AFP

Aleh and Powrie went into the Rio Games as defending champions and won four of the eleven races, more than any other crew, but also suffered two disqualifications which killed off their gold medal chances and any hope of back-to-back gold medals.

Their silver is officially New Zealand's second sailing medal of the Games with Sam Meech having won a bronze in the men's laser class.

But a gold is also guaranteed as Peter Burling and Blair Tuke have an unassailable lead in the men's 49er class going into today's medal race

Molly Meech and Alex Maloney are also in medal contention in the 49erFX category, sitting in fourth place just one point behind the leaders.

- RNZ

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