Hannah Mills wins gold with Team GB becoming most decorated female Olympic sailor
Cheers and tears in Cardiff as family and friends of Hannah Mills celebrate her making Olympic history
Team GB's Hannah Mills has made Olympic history winning gold in the women's sailing with partner Eilidh McIntyre in Tokyo.
There was a tense wait for confirmation of the medal after the French sailing team launched a protest against the result, but the protest was dismissed.
Cardiff-born Mills was already one of Britain's top sailors, winning gold and silver at Rio 2016.
But she has become the most decorated female Olympic sailor of all time after achieving a third medal in the women's 470 on Wednesday morning.
Speaking after the win, Mills said “It’s been such a long week, but it’s a massive relief that we’ve come here and done what we set out to do.
“We were just so focused on executing our best race today.
“It was probably my last 470 race, so that was quite emotional as well. Just trying to put all those thoughts away and just getting around the course to be where we need to be and get the gold."
Mills and McIntyre have dominated the regatta at Enoshima, winning two races and only twice finishing outside the top four, and they went into the medal race with a 14-point lead.
That meant they only needed to finish in the top seven to clinch gold and they were never in any danger, crossing the line comfortably in fifth.
Poland took the silver medal, while France won the bronze.
'I can't imagine how those girls felt', Hannah Mills' mother Fiona tells ITV Wales Sport Reporter Beth Fisher following the French protest of the result
It was McIntyre's first time at the Olympics, but the pair won gold together in the World Cup Series final, then followed it up with a silver at the 470 world championships.
The medal at Tokyo continues McIntyre's family legacy at the Olympics, after her father won gold in Seoul in 1988 in the Star class.
The sailing success contributed to what has been a triumphant morning for Team GB, with Sky Brown crowned Great Britain's youngest ever Olympic medallist after taking the bronze medal in the women's skateboard park event.
It also follows a phenomenal day of golds for GB sailors on Tuesday, with Giles Scott recovering from a nightmare start to successfully defend his Finn title, while Dylan Fletcher and Stuart Bithell claimed the narrowest of victories in the 49er.
There was also a silver medal for John Gimson and Anna Burnet in the mixed Nacra class.
Mills was selected as one of the flag bearers for Team GB alongside rower Mohamed Sbihi.
She was nominated for the honour by her fellow athletes, and chosen as someone who upholds Team GB's core values of pride, responsibility, respect and unity.