Marit Bouwmeester, of the Netherlands, aims to surpass Hannah Mills from Britain with two golds each and one silver by winning the dinghy this week.

Bouwmeester has taken a different path to these Games than the one she took to win gold in 2016, to earn silver in 2012, and to take bronze at Tokyo. She is accompanied by her 2-year-old child this time.

This means that the Dutch sailor, 36, has been able get more sleep.

"I isolate myself because of my little child and the other team members who carry all kinds of illnesses. I am in a sort of isolation." It's nice being by yourself and getting plenty of sleep," said the woman.

Bouwmeester added that her daughter often went to sleep at 7 p.m., and she missed her. Even when Bouwmeester returned in time to see her, the girl was playing too much to even give Bouwmeester a hug.

She joked, "She really doesn't have time for me."

Bouwmeester's formula appears to work for her, who is known for following her daily routines religiously. Bouwmeester, a Dutch woman sailor who is known for her religious devotion to routines and practices, has a strong lead going into the final races of the Women's Dinghy Series.

Sailing is not a sure thing. Sailors have reported that the wind conditions in the bay near Marseille were difficult, with erratic gusts circling the islands.

Bouwmeester can effectively win gold in the 10 boat'medal run' on Tuesday if she consolidates her position by Monday. She will have a large enough cushion of points that no one else could beat her.

The aim of sailing is to score the least points in a series. One discard can be made.

In the lead-up to this series, the women's dinghy sailing team had to deal with a number of obstacles, including a race that was abandoned, strong winds, and extreme heat.

Bouwmeester, who completed another exhausting day of sailing on Sunday, said: "It is challenging. I enjoy a challenge."

When asked her plan, she replied: "I will focus only on me and try to sail the best I can."

Hannah Snellgrove from Britain, who won two out of 11 races in the series by beating Bouwmeester, revealed that the Dutch sailors joked afterward about how they thought Bouwmeester was the specialist for downwind speeds.

Bouwmeester must now make her speed count during the last few races. A medal is not guaranteed until all of the series are completed. (Reporting and editing by Ken Ferris; Alexander Smith)

(source: Reuters)