Luke Patience sees virtue of harbouring golden Olympic dreams

SCOTTISH sailor Luke Patience has told how winning Olympic gold is the first thing he thinks of each morning.

The 24-year-old, on the GB team for the 2012 Olympics, said he is “dreaming big” in the run-up to the Games.

Patience, from Helensburgh, Argyll, returned to his sailing roots on the Clyde at the weekend to launch the 470 European Championships which take place in Largs, Ayrshire, from 25 June to 4 July.

More than 100 top crews are expected to compete in the event as a last opportunity to fine-tune their racing before the Olympic regatta.

Patience, who has been selected for Team GB with fellow 470 sailor Stuart Bithell, is now focused on winning gold at the Olympics.

He said: “I’m so driven right now that I wake up in the morning and the first thing I think of is standing on the podium with a gold medal. It drags me out of bed, it takes me to the gym, it makes me do all the hard work.

“And that hard work is enjoyable; I genuinely love the hard work and I want to get to the start line in race one at the Olympics and be able to say that I worked harder than everyone else around me and I deserve this more than anyone.” He added: “I’m dreaming big and I intend to seal that deal.”

Patience also encouraged young sailors to work hard and pursue their own ambitions. He said: “We have a good crop of youngsters in Scotland who have achieved some great results. Clearly they have the drive and support to allow them to get these results and succeed.

“My message to them is to dream big and push hard because we are not here forever and this is a cool journey to be on.”

The championships at Largs Sailing Club are being hosted by the Royal Yachting Association.