2024 Olympics sailing medal race descends into chaos after USA rivals make baffling mistake in the final stretch

The medal race for the sailing event at the Paris Olympics took a disastrous turn, literally and figuratively, when Dutch duo Odile van Aanholt and Annette Duetz made a dramatic error.

While the pair secured gold, they had to go through a scare from what looked to be a costly mistake.

Just meters away from the end of the race, the duo seemed to miscalculate the finish line and began veering to the right and away from the checkered markers.

The commentary team was puzzled by the Dutch sailing away from the finish line - as the athletes seemingly thought they were in the clear.

'The Netherlands are in the lead,' described one commentator. 'United States are coming through in second, but it's too little, too late. The Netherlands in the lead, taking it in the early stages of this race.'

The Dutch were approaching the finish with a sizable lead after overcoming adversity in the race. However, when they started leaning right, the second-place USA followed their lead. 

'And where are they going?' remarked the commentator suddenly. 'Because the finish line is marked on the left hand side! They're not too sure. I think they think they've finished!

'There was some confusion on the course. We had it here and they've now had to come back up to the finish. America also making a mistake. And this is huge.

While the two teams at the top of the heap mistakenly switched directions, it gave an opening for Sweden, who capitalized on the error and eventually crossed the finish line first.

Unfortunately, the aggregate scoring system could not get the Swedish team the gold from winning the final race alone. However, it allowed Vilma Bobeck and Rebecca Netzler, to snag the silver medal from the Americans after being left confused by the Dutch.

Meanwhile, France's Charline Picon and Sarah Steyaert secured the bronze medal finish.  

Despite the monumental error, the Netherlands avoided an agonizing loss after the judges calculated they had racked up enough points to hang on to the top.

'What unbelievable scenes on the water of Marseille,' a commentator stated. 'This has been an Olympics to remember.

'We have had two medal races abandoned. We have had boats sailing what appears to have been the wrong course for getting where the finish line is thinking that they've blown the gold at the last minute, even though they put in a gold medal winning performance.

'They have been there for five minutes in agony, waiting for somebody to tell them the results. And it seems as if it is now relief.