Changing fortunes: How the ParalympicsGB sailing team bounced back to win two medals on home waters

Rewind four years to September 2008 and    Britain’s Paralympians had just returned empty-handed from China, the third successive medal-less Games since sailing became a full Paralympic sport at Sydney 2000.

There were some dark days for the six Brits all of whom who had headed to the Beijing Paralympics with an array of World Championship silverware between them and genuine medal hopes. Bruising questions were asked and brutal honesty was demanded.

Do we continue? Why did we fail? Are we prepared to learn from our mistakes? How do we recover the confidence to go through it all again?

Tough love and an arm around the shoulder were administered in equal measure.

But that was then.

It is now September 2012 and Britain has two Paralympic sailing medals under its belt – gold and bronze – and all the uncomfortable post-China soul-searching has been richly rewarded.

From those who have been there, done that

Until you have sat there, on that Olympic start line, oblivious to everything but the other boats around you, you cannot begin to comprehend what it is really going to be like.

Likewise, when other people ask you it is almost impossible to conjure up the words to describe that maelstrom of excitement, fear, relief and anticipation that is coursing through every capillary in your body.

The boats, equipment, sport science and racing format may have changed in time. But at the centre has always sat one individual wanting to do themselves justice on the biggest sporting stage of them all.

Here are the thoughts of some of Britain’s most successful sailing Olympians on their experiences and emotions en route to, and after, their moment of glory.