Peter Kennedy competed in the men’s Flying Dutchman class sailing at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games alongside David Wilkins, finishing 10th overall.

From Strangford, Co. Down, Kennedy was a medical student at Oxford University and one of Ireland’s top Laser sailors. Team manager Michael Wallace helped put the Wilkins-Kennedy combination together. Their preparation was intensive and professional: they competed in UK qualifying events, World and European Championships and major continental regattas, completing their preparation by training with the British and Canadian Flying Dutchman squads at Hayling Island.

The regatta at Seoul proved extremely frustrating despite their speed. In one race they held second place when ‘a massive container ship ploughed through the course’, forcing an evasive action that cost them ten places – with no redress available under the rules. In another race they held the lead for most of the course when a plastic bag coated in tar suddenly slowed the boat, forcing them to capsize to remove the obstruction. A disqualification in race 4 compounded their misfortune. Despite everything, they succeeded in achieving a 10th place finish.

Kennedy went on to compete in Barcelona 1992 in the same class, also with David Wilkins where they finished in 14th place.