Yin reeled off a list of the parts of her body that had been affected by injury. “My waist, shoulder, legs and feet,” said Yin, adding she had spent every night after racing at the Games on the treatment table undergoing acupuncture and massage for muscle strains.

“When the flag was being raised I was thinking about the hardship I have gone through for this gold medal,” the 29-year-old Yin told reporters. “These past four years have been a hard time for me … because of the injuries that have affected my training. It’s a very demanding sport that requires you to be in perfect physical condition,” she said.

“I am the only one in the Chinese sailing team that is from inner China,” said Yin. “Many people find it strange that as someone from that area that I can do so well in an aquatic sport. But the altitude helps me. That’s why I can have a better physical condition,” she said. “I always tried my best to maintain a calm mind in front of the challenges and pressure, whether I was leading the fleet or was behind in a race.”