Two-Person Keelboat (Star), Men

After six races in this event, the American pair of Mark Reynolds and Hal Haenel was leading, but Canada was second, Brazil third, and Great Britain fourth, all with a chance to win depending on the outcome of the final race, although Britain was a longshot. The US boat gave them that chance when their mast broke and they could not finish the race, which dropped them down to the silver medal. When the Brazilian pair of Torben Grael and Nelson Falcão finished eighth and the British crew of Mike McIntyre and Bryn Vaile won the final race, the impossible had happened and Britain had the gold medal. McIntyre said, “In my wildest dreams I thought we could win, but not in any other state of mind.” Reynolds and Haenel would return in 1992 and improve to the gold medal.

In 19th place was the Bahamas, skippered by Durward Knowles, who was competing in his eighth Olympics at just over 70-years-old. He had first raced in 1948 for Great Britain because the Bahamas did not yet have a National Olympic Committee, and then raced at each Olympics through 1972, before taking a 16-year Olympic break. He had won two Olympic medals, including gold in this class in 1964.