The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has paid tribute to the late John Cuneo, gold medal winner in sailing at the 1972 Olympic Games.
John Cuneo competed in two Olympic Games – Mexico 1968 and Munich 1972 – won multiple Australian and world championships and he sailed on Southern Cross, the defeated Australian challenger in the 1974 America’s Cup campaign.
But the golden day was in Kiel in 1972.
With crew mates Tom Anderson and John Shaw, John Cuneo took out the Dragon Class, setting up their gold medal with consecutive wins in the first three races.
A conservative approach cost them dearly in the fourth race where they finished 19th.
The fifth race was abandoned on a windless day when none of the boats was able to complete the course, and in the next heat, the Australians finished third. By the last race, all they needed to do was finish the race 18th or better.
They stayed close to the front all the way and finished fourth. "I knew we had the gold medal in the bag after we’d gone 100 yards" Cuneo later said, "It was a piece of cake". They won gold, 28 points ahead of the East Germans.
AOC Executive Member Matt Allen described John Cuneo as a remarkable sailor.
"Our current Olympians are in awe of what John achieved, along with Tom Anderson and John Shaw. To win the Dragon class at that time was an incredible feat, given the quality of sailors competing at that time.
"John was absolutely determined to improve on the fifth place in Mexico and they prepared their boat immaculately. Winning those opening three races was quite remarkable.
John was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1986 and in 2018 into the Australian Sailing Hall of Fame.
John Cuneo OAM, Olympic champion, passed away aged 91 on Tuesday 2 June. He is survived, by his wife Silvia and four sons.
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