Sailing - Scheidt family sync up in Laser bids

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Robert and Gintare Scheidt seem to be in sync with just about everything at the Olympics except for the countries they represent.

Sailing - Scheidt family sync up in Laser bids

(Reuters)





Husband Robert, 43, competes for Brazil in the men's Laser class while wife Gintare, 33, goes for Lithuania in the women's Laser Radial, the same boat with a smaller sail.

Both are considered medal hopefuls, Robert for what would be a record sixth for Brazil, and on the first day of racing at the Olympic Regatta they mirrored with mixed showings.

Both performed badly in the first of two races on Monday only to come back and win the second in front of a tough and hard-driving fleet.

Robert finished 23rd in the first race after getting caught and "gassed", his wind blocked by the pack.

Gintare was disqualified at the start of the first race after crossing the line ahead of the starting gun in heavy traffic.

But both could still make the medal race if they avoid further mistakes. Under regatta rules they can drop their worst result before the medal round.

Robert is seventh in the Laser fleet with 24 points, 18 behind the leader. Gintare is 20th, 29 points behind the leader and 17 behind the 10th-placed boat.

"Of course it’s always better to start well than not. The guys who got two top tens are confident, but having said that there are still a lot of races to go," he told reporters.

Robert, who is Brazil's most successful Olympian with two gold, two silver and one bronze in five Olympics, has already played a big part in his home Rio Games.

He helped escort the Olympic flag into Rio's Maracana Stadium and administered the Olympic Oath to assembled athletes at the opening ceremony on Friday.

Not to be left out, Gintare was flag bearer for the Lithuanian team. Robert previously performed the role for Brazil at the Beijing Games in 2008.

Both Scheidts won silver medals at the China Games, Gintare in the Laser Radial and Robert in the Star class. They married later that year and have two sons.





(Reporting by Jeb Blount, editing by Neil Robinson/Patrick Johnston)


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