Burton finishes strongly for Laser World Championships silver

A silver to Tom Burton at the Laser World Championships in Split, Croatia, this week is another feather in the Olympian’s cap after the sailer won gold in Rio last year.

The NSWIS Scholarship Holder celebrates the result after six days of competition that featured 10 races, finishing behind sailor Pavlos Kontides, a Cypriot national hero. Kontides won silver at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the first medal ever won by his home nation of Cyprus.

Burton bagged a pair of wins in Race 5 and 6 which lifted him into medal contention and, with no racing on Day 6, his Day 5 result of second place would stand, securing the Australian a silver medal.

Fellow Australian Matthew Wearn finished on the podium as well, claiming bronze after jostling for position with Burton throughout the competition.

30 year-old Burton captured the ultimate prize in Rio last year, claiming Olympic Games gold with a come-from-behind win over Croatia’s Tonci Stipanovic.

A full list of results from the Laser World Championships 2017 is available here