Ellie Aldridge secures kitesurfing Olympic title after days without GB gold

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Ellie Aldridge has secured the first-ever Olympic title in kitesurfing, bringing Team GB’s gold medal total to 13 after days without top prizes.

It comes as the Duchess of Edinburgh, who has been in Paris watching various events, congratulated British Olympians and called it a “thrill” to see them compete.

Kitesurfing made its Games debut in Marseille and sees competitors fly above the water at up to 40 knots powered by huge kites.

Aldridge, 27, won both races in the final series on Thursday.

After being involved in a capsize when she was seven, Aldridge, from Dorset, was sceptical of the water, but kite foiling became a source of fun for her and later a serious discipline.

Light winds in Marseille have led to numerous races delayed and cancelled, with Emma Wilson the only other sailor for Team GB who has secured a medal with her bronze in windsurfing.

The last gold for Great Britain came at the hands of Keely Hodgkinson when she won the women’s 800m on Monday.

Since then, it has been a string of silvers and bronze – among them Matthew Hudson-Smith’s thrilling 400m race on Wednesday evening, which saw him pipped by Quincy Hall of the US in the final stretch of the run.

Despite being “agonisingly” close to the gold, Hudson-Smith said he is proud to be up there with the “Goats” of British 400m running and vowed his “time is going to come”.

Sophie, patron of GB Hockey and the British Cycling Federation, said Team GB has “done us so proud”.

In a personally signed post on X, she said: “It has been a wonderful few days in Paris watching so many inspiring sporting moments at the #Olympics.

“Congratulations to everyone at @TeamGB. It was a thrill to see you compete – you have done us so proud.”

Following Aldridge’s gold on Thursday, cyclist Emma Finucane added to her Paris success with a bronze medal in the women’s keirin.

In the evening, Cindy Ngamba will compete in the semi-final of the women’s middleweight boxing but is already guaranteed a medal – which is a first for the Refugee Olympic Team.

The 25-year-old, of Bolton, first started boxing at Bolton Lads and Girls Club (BLGC) when she was around 14 years old.

The club sent her a message ahead of her match to “smash it, girl”.

Jackie Robinson, director of finance at BLGC, told the PA news agency how the club secured funding for Ngamba so she could get one-to-one sessions, buy training equipment and travel for boxing.

“She came as a refugee and we saw potential and she enjoyed it and like I say we accessed this fund for her to help her on her way,” Ms Robinson said.

Of seeing Ngamba become an Olympic athlete, she said: “It makes me immensely proud and the whole organisation immensely proud that we were able to be the start of what has become a brilliant career for her.

“It’s absolutely amazing and everybody at the club is following her progress. It’s just absolutely amazing that we were there at the start.”

Asked what message she would send Ngamba ahead of her semi-final, Ms Robinson said: “Smash it, Cindy. You’ve always shown not just strength for boxing but strength of character. Just smash it, girl.”