Portland's Emma Wilson has won a bronze medal in the women's windsurfing at the Paris Olympics.

She had to settle for a bronze medal after finishing last in the women's windsurfing medal race off the coast of Marseille today.

The 25-year-old held a narrow lead at the halfway stage of the final but fell away dramatically before the third mark and finished well behind gold medallist Marta Maggetti of Italy and Israel's Sharon Kantor in second place.

It was a crushing blow for Wilson who had dominated the windsurfing races at the Marseille regatta, winning eight of the 14 qualifiers to seal a direct place in the delayed final.

Wilson was cheered on at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy by members of the British sailing team including her training partners and previous coaches as well as fellow sailors and windsurfers.

The crowd at the Sailing Academy cheering Wilson on (Image: Cristiano Magaglio)

Despite an early lead she fell behind following the first tack.

She has blown away the competition this week, winning eight out of 14 races on her way to the top of the leader board.

Her family cheered her on in person in France.

The race was meant to take place yesterday, however, due to a lack of wind in Marseille the competition was postponed until today.

Due to a new format introduced for the Paris Olympics, topping the leader board meant she was sent straight into the final, meaning she is guaranteed of at least a bronze medal - which matches her bronze in Tokyo 2020.

Wilson - who competes in the foiling windsurfing class known as iQFoil - won bronze in Tokyo and bronze and silver in the two most recent World Championships.

Her mother Penny had two top-ten finishes at the Olympics in Barcelona and Atlanta while her former training partner, Bryony Shaw, won bronze in Beijing.

Sailing has been one of Team GB's most valuable medal providers in recent years, with their sailors topping the medal table at the last two Games, winning three golds three years ago in Tokyo.

Wilson is one of just two returning medallists from Japan, alongside John Gimson and Anna Burnet, who are looking to upgrade their silver in the Nacra 17 class.