Spain, Netherlands win first Paris Olympics sailing gold medals; US gets 1st sailing medal since Rio

MARSEILLE, France (AP) — In what sailors called the first “normal wind" day of the 2024 Olympics, Spain and the Netherlands won gold medals in the men's and women's skiffs on Friday, while the United States snagged its first Olympic sailing medal since Rio eight years ago.

Fickle winds forced medal races for the skiffs known as 49er and 49erFX — powerful, bird-like two-person boats — to be abandoned on Thursday in Marseille.

On Friday, the women's race started on time just after noon and had a wild finish for the Dutch team of Odile van Aanholt and Annette Duetz, who entered with the second-best score.

They thought they had cruised past the finish line but hadn’t realized the race committee had changed the course, and the line was on the other side of the committee boat. They quickly corrected course and crossed the right line, but lost time doing so. They looked puzzled and covered their faces for a few tense minutes before officials determined they had enough for gold anyway.

“When we crossed the finish line we thought we won gold, but we didn’t hear the horn,” said van Aanholt, 26. “It's been a week of very different winds. It showcases you can't be a one-start pony.”

Sweden got the silver and France took bronze.

In the men's race, Diego Botín and Florian Trittel won Spain's first Olympic sailing gold since London 2012 in their boat "Samatha," or “calm” in the Buddhist practice they follow.

"Maybe more the effort to be calm, rather than the calm, won," quipped Botín, 33, who competed in the same class in Rio and Tokyo. "It's an incredible sensation to have worked so many years for something and to have failed so often on the way ... it couldn't be better.”

“It was hard to even dream about it,” added Trittel, who sailed a different class in the Tokyo Olympics.

The United States men's skiff team, Ian Barrows of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Hans Henken of San Francisco, was even more stunned by their surprise podium that stopped a drought for the Americans.

“It was just disbelief, honestly,” said Henken, 32.

“The whole fleet is so good that we knew we had a chance, but we knew things had to go our way,” said Barrows, 29.

The men’s silver went to New Zealand’s Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie.

“This is something we've worked really hard for for the last seven years,” McHardie said. “To come home with a silver for New Zealand is undescribable.”

It's been challenging for all teams to deal with 12 regattas since Sunday that were often delayed by the lack of wind, leaving sailors to broil in the water for new start times under a punishing sun.

Sweden's silver medal-winning team of Vilma Bobeck and Rebecca Netzler sang out “amazing” in unison as they walked the beach swathed in their flag, their faces bright red in the hazy heat. They later planned to party with the Dutch gold medalists to the tune of ABBA's “Dancing Queen” — the name of the Swedish team's boat.

The women's bronze went to Sarah Steyaert and Charline Picon of France — the “mama team,” as they call themselves since both have children, who cheered them on their fathers’ shoulders from the marina’s breakwater.

“When you do something with passion and determination, nothing is impossible,” Picon said of combining motherhood with Olympic glory.

The French team also got some more hardware on Friday — their longtime partners proposed marriage after the race, as they had promised they would if they won a medal.

“But mine said only gold or silver, so I wasn't sure,” joked Steyeart, turning the ring around her finger.

Medal races for windsurfing, scheduled for Friday, were pushed back to Saturday because of the variable winds. A windsurfing “marathon” Wednesday was abandoned more than an hour into it.

Also starting on Friday was a new sailing event, the mixed-gender dinghy called 470 — introduced this year to even out medal opportunities between men and women for the first time. And the men's and women's dinghies continued their races, too, making for quite a crowd in Marseille's beautiful, monument-fringed bay.

In sailing, points are accumulated over multiple regattas over multiple days, with the medal races usually counting for double points.

In windsurfing, where the rules are a bit different, two athletes have made it far enough into the rankings to be guaranteed a medal — Emma Wilson of Britain and Grae Morris of Austrialia. Everyone else is still in the cliffhanger.

The uncertainty makes the delays and abandoned races particularly painful, and the heat also takes a physical toll as athletes try to be switched on for the peak moment of their career — and relaxed enough not to waste physical and mental energy on what they can't control.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Fans watch the women's skiff race on a screen at the Olympic marina during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Elia Colombo of Switzerland carries his windsurf board after the men's windsurfing medal race was postponed until Saturday due to lack of wind during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Poland athletes pack up a windsurf board after the men's windsurfing medal race was postponed until Saturday due to lack of wind during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Marta Maggetti of Italy carries her windsurf board after the women's windsurfing medal race was postponed until Saturday due to lack of wind during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Ian Barrows and Hans Henken of the United States, left, and Florian Trittel Paul and Diego Botin Le Chever of Spain compete in a men's skiff race, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Vilma Bobeck, right, and Rebecca Netzler of Sweden celebrate winning the silver medal in the women's skiff race at the Olympic marina during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Florian Trittel Paul and Diego Botin Le Chever of Spain celebrate clinching the gold medal in the men's skiff race, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Ian Barrows and Hans Henken of the United States celebrate clinching the bronze medal in the men's skiff race, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Florian Trittel Paul and Diego Botin Le Chever of Spain celebrate clinching the gold medal in the men's skiff race, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Annette Duetz, right, and Odile Aanholt of the Netherlands celebrate winning the gold medal in the women's skiff race at the Olympic marina during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Spectators watch a women's skiff race, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Boats start a women's skiff race, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

CHENNAI, India (AP) — Jasprit Bumrah took 4-50 to help skittle Bangladesh for 149 and give India a first-innings lead of 227 runs on Day 2 of the first test Friday.

On a day when 17 wickets fell, India was dismissed for 376 early in the morning session with Ravichandran Ashwin hitting 113 and later reached 81-3 at stumps — for an overall lead of 308 — having decided against enforcing the follow-on. Shubman Gill was unbeaten on 33 and Rishabh Pant was 12 not out.

In between all that, Bumrah ran through Bangladesh's lower-middle order in a fine all-round bowling performance by the Indians that bundled out the visitors early in the third session. Pacers Mohammed Siraj (2-30) and Akash Deep (2-19) weighed in with economical figures.

Shakib al Hasan’s 32 was the top score for Bangladesh, which slumped to 26-3 at lunch and couldn't stem the fall of wickets, losing two more quick after the resumption of play.

Siraj had captain Najmul Hossain Shanto caught at slip for 20 before Bumrah dismissed Mushfiqur Rahim in a similar fashion for 8, leaving Bangladesh at 40-5 after 12.5 overs.

Shakib and Litton Das resisted with a 51-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Das scored 22 off 42 balls, including three fours.

Spin then did the trick for India as Ravindra Jadeja (2-19) removed Das, who was caught at square leg by substitute fielder Dhruv Jurel. Jadeja picked up a second when Shakib was caught at short leg two overs later.

At 92-7, Bangladesh was staring down the barrel, though Mehidy Hasan Miraz scored 27 off 52 balls to save the team from complete embarrassment. He maneuvered the lower order to add another 57 runs for the final three wickets while also denying Bumrah a five-wicket haul.

India’s star-studded top-order faltered once again in the second innings.

Rohit Sharma was caught at slip for 5, unable to fend off extra bounce from Taskin Ahmed (1-17). Yashasvi Jaiswal chased a wide delivery from Nahid Rana and was caught behind for 10, while Virat Kohli scored 17 runs — and added 39 for the third wicket with Gill — before falling lbw to Mehidy Hasan (1-16).

Replays suggested an inside edge and Kohli didn’t ask for a DRS review despite India having a full quota of three reviews available.

Gill and Pant closed out the day without further damage.

Bangladesh pace bowler Hasan Mahmud earlier picked up his second straight five-wicket haul in India’s first innings, which saw Ashwin get to his sixth test hundred and a personal best at his home ground. After miscuing a pull to mid-off, Ashwin walked off to a rousing reception from his hometown crowd.

Resuming on 339-6 from overnight, India lost Jadeja early, caught behind for 86 off 124 balls. That ended the 199-run seventh-wicket partnership with Ashwin which had turned things around for India from a precarious 144-6 on the first day.

Mahmud finished with 5-83, becoming the first Bangladesh bowler with a five-wicket haul in India. It was also his second five-wicket performance in as many innings after he took 5-43 against Pakistan in Rawalpindi. Taskin Ahmed had figures of 3-55.

The second of two tests will be played in Kanpur and begins on Sept. 27, with three Twenty20 matches to follow.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

India's Jasprit Bumrah, right, celebrates with teammates the wicket of Bangladesh's Taskin Ahmed on the second day of the first cricket test match between India and Bangladesh, in Chennai, India, Friday, Sept.20, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Bangladesh's Taskin Ahmed bowled out by India's Jasprit Bumrah on the second day of the first cricket test match between India and Bangladesh, in Chennai, India, Friday, Sept.20, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

India's Jasprit Bumrah, left, celebrates with teammates the wicket of Bangladesh's Mushfiqur Rahim on the second day of the first cricket test match between India and Bangladesh, in Chennai, India, Friday, Sept.20, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Bangladesh's Taskin Ahmed, centre, celebrates the wicket of India's Ravichandran Ashwin, with teammates on the second day of the first cricket test match between India and Bangladesh, in Chennai, India, Friday, Sept.20, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Bangladesh's captain Najmul Hossain Shanto takes catch to dismissal India's Ravichandran Ashwin on the second day of the first cricket test match between India and Bangladesh, in Chennai, India, Friday, Sept.20, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Bangladesh's captain Najmul Hossain Shanto takes catch to dismissal India's Ravichandran Ashwin on the second day of the first cricket test match between India and Bangladesh, in Chennai, India, Friday, Sept.20, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Bangladesh's Hasan Mahmud, right, celebrates his 5-wicket on the second day of the first cricket test match between India and Bangladesh, in Chennai, India, Friday, Sept.20, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Bangladesh's Hasan Mahmud celebrates his 5-wicket haul on the second day of the first cricket test match between India and Bangladesh, in Chennai, India, Friday, Sept.20, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Bangladesh's Hasan Mahmud salutes the crowd with the ball after he took five wicket on the second day of the first cricket test match between India and Bangladesh, in Chennai, India, Friday, Sept.20, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Bangladesh's Hasan Mahmud celebrates with his teammates after taking wicket of India's Jasprit Burmah on the second day of the first cricket test match between India and Bangladesh, in Chennai, India, Friday, Sept.20, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

India's Ravichandran Ashwin celebrates after scoring a century with Ravindra Jadeja, right, on the first day of the first cricket test match between India and Bangladesh, in Chennai, India, Thursday, Sept.19, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

India's Jasprit Bumrah, centre, celebrates with teammates the wicket of Bangladesh's Shadman Islam on the second day of the first cricket test match between India and Bangladesh, in Chennai, India, Friday, Sept.20, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

India's Ravichandran Ashwin celebrates scoring a century with Ravindra Jadeja, left, on the first day of the first cricket test match between India and Bangladesh, in Chennai, India, Thursday, Sept.19, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Bangladesh's Taskin Ahmed celebrates the wicket of India's Ravichandran Ashwin on the second day of the first cricket test match between India and Bangladesh, in Chennai, India, Friday, Sept.20, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Bangladesh's Hasan Mahmud shows the ball in his hand as he celebrates his 5-wicket haul on the second day of the first cricket test match between India and Bangladesh, in Chennai, India, Friday, Sept.20, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)