Sailors are also enjoying more time in the spotlight with a record 13 sailors selected for the Opening Ceremony, the most in Olympic history.

16 countries were also represented by sailors as flag bearers at the Paris 2024 Olympic Closing Ceremony, including gold medallist Matt Wearn of Australia, the Austrian mixed dinghy pair Lukas Maehr and Lara Vadlau, and Israel's Tom Reuveny, who won gold in the inaugural men's iQFOiL event.

They were joined at the Stade de France by inaugural men's kite silver medallist Toni Vodisek - who won Slovenia's second ever sailing medal - and bronze medallist Max Maeder, who won Singapore's only medal at Paris 2024.

Emerging Nations to podium success 

Stefano Peschiera - who was one of 26 athletes supported by World Sailing's Emerging Nations Programme at Paris 2024 - won Peru's first Olympic sailing medal and became the country's first podium finisher in 32 years.

"'Sailing is for everyone' is at the heart of World Sailing, so we are delighted with the number of nations represented both on the start line and among the medallists at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games," said David Graham, CEO of World Sailing, in the organisation's official press release.

"We are on track to see more nations participating and competing for international honours. The conditions have contributed to a more diverse medal table at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which will have a positive impact on our global development goals. The credit, of course, goes to the athletes and the support they receive from their National Federations who are developing sailing from grassroots to the podium on every continent," he added.