Beards the order of the day for superstitious men’s medallists

Rule number one for winning an Olympic medal in men’s sailing? Don’t shave during the competition, it’s seen as unlucky.

When Australia’s Matt Wearn, Pavlos Kontides of Cyprus and Peru’s Stefano Peschiera had gold, silver and bronze medals hung around their necks on Wednesday, all were sporting beards.

Wearn, the reigning Olympic champion in the men’s dinghy, said it was an old superstition among sailors, with Peschiera adding: “you don’t want to take the risk”.

“Even my coach doesn’t shave,” said the Peruvian, who won the South American country’s first Olympic medal for 32 years.

Kontides said that after he won silver in 2012 the only question he was asked during a press conference was why he had shaved off his beard, to which he replied: “to look my age”.

At 34 and still bearded at this post-medals ceremony press conference 12 years on, he said: “Now I will say the same answer: ‘to look my age'”