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Australia's Grae Morris has won Olympic windsurfing silver, finishing behind Israel's Tom Reuveny in their lightning quick, three-sailor final in Marseille.
The 20-year-old Sydneysider was unable to catch Reuveny in the high-velocity dash while Dutchman Luuc van Opzeeland, looking for his country's fourth successive Olympic title in the event, took the bronze medal.
Morris becomes the first Australian to win a medal in windsurfing since Lars Kleppich brought home bronze from Barcelona in 1992.
Competing in the new iQFOiL class, Morris was guaranteed a medal after topping the rankings after the 13-race qualifying series on the Mediterranean in southern France.
That meant he moved straight into the final, awaiting his two competitors.
World champion van Opzeeland won the quarter-final and semi-final earlier on Saturday with Reuveny, who was ranked second from qualifying, finishing second.
After the sailors were recalled for a second start, racing in the final got underway in perfect, top-end wind.
In iQFOiL windsurfing, the sailors fly off the water at high speed, the boards lifted by a foil with athletes pushing speeds well above 20 knots (37 kilometres per hour).
The three jostled for position in the early running with Morris just ahead at the first mark.
But Reuveny made his move and emerged from the third buoy ahead of Morris, with the pair breaking clear of van Opzeeland.
Reuveny, 24, built a healthy lead by gate four and managed to keep the Australian at bay, crossing the line in 6 minutes 43 seconds, 0.05 seconds in front.
While Morris appeared disappointed as he rode a dinghy back to shore, he was swamped by the Australian camp and chaired up the beach.
Italy's Marta Maggetti won the women's event.
AAP
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