London - AFP
Ben Ainslie will get the opportunity to go for a fourth consecutive sailing gold medal at next year's Olympics after having his place on the British 2012 team confirmed Tuesday. Ainslie, a gold medallist at the Sydney, Athens and Beijing Games, was one of 11 sailors who were the first confirmed members of Team GB's 550-strong Olympic team named on Tuesday. "Having my selection for 2012 confirmed is obviously a big relief," Ainslie, 34, said. Ainslie had faced stiff competition for the sole Finn category berth after only returning to the event last year following a two-year hiatus. "The competition was strong. Having four top GB sailors battling for qualification meant I had to be at my best in every race," Ainslie said. "Certainly that is a credit to those guys, how well they were sailing and how they pushed me all the way in every event. "It's now all about getting the plans right for my fitness and preparation to peak at the right time, you don't want to reach burnout and the Olympics are the end goal."