Brazil's supersailor Robert Scheidt can add another historic chapter to his career at the Olympic regatta in Rio de Janeiro: The 43-year-old (!) has won five medals in five Olympic appearances. In his home waters, he wants to crown his unique career with a sixth and leave the Olympic stage as the sailor with the most medals. "I have confidence in my abilities. I don't want to think about how old I am. I believe that I am very well prepared. I'm here because I want to fight for a medal."
Scheidts is the oldest starter in the largest Olympic fleet of 46 Laser sailors from as many nations. Some of the starters could almost be his sons. German runner-up Philipp Buhl is 26 years old and had pictures of Scheidt stuck in his school notebooks as a child. The fact that Buhl would one day be able to compete against this exceptional Brazilian sailor at the Olympics was just a big dream back then, but it has now become a reality. "Of the nine sailors I have on my list for a medal, Robert is right at the top," says Buhl, who has also announced his own ambitions: He also wants a medal. "If everything goes perfectly, then it's in the cards." Like Robert Scheidt, Buhl also knows that there are not as many serious medal contenders in any of the Olympic disciplines as in the Laser.
Scheidt's advantages include his almost inexhaustible experience and the good feeling of having already won medals, as well as his knowledge of the area. "I feel comfortable in this Olympic area. I know the conditions very well. But it's the Olympic Games. The competition will be very strong."
Alongside Scheidt, his Lithuanian wife Gintare Scheidt is competing for a second medal at her third Olympic Games in Rio. The 33-year-old mother of their two sons Erik and Lucas won silver off Qingdao in 2008 and married Robert Scheidt in the same year. With her victory in the 2015 Olympic test regatta, Gintare Scheidt put a clear exclamation mark behind the family's medal targets in Rio. Mr and Mrs Scheidt are already the most successful Olympic sailing couple. The first starting signal for the Olympic regatta will be given for both of them - and for Philipp Buhl - on 8 August.
