IF Southampton’s world champion sailor Nick Thompson emulates Hampshire sailing legend Sir Ben Ainslie, he could find himself a very unpopular figure in Brazil on his Olympics debut.

Lymington’s four-time Olympic champion Ainslie upset the Brazilians by defeating their compatriot Robert Scheidt to win his first Olympic gold in Sydney in 2000.

Now Thompson starts his Rio programme tomorrow aiming to do the same and defeat five-time Olympic medallist Schiedt on his own turf, so to speak, in the laser class sailing.

That would certainly annoy the Brazilian sailing fans.

The 30-year-old, who started sailing on the Solent as a two-year-old, is among the favourites after winning the last two world titles in the class.

“Winning the last two worlds has given me a bit of an edge,” Thompson stated.

“Doing the second one proved a point: I’m in Rio to win, I’m not there just to get a medal or take part.

“It sends a strong message to my competitors and probably at the moment I’m one of the favourites going into the Games.”

A far throw from Thompson’s favourite UK sailing waters in Hampshire’s waters around Lymington and Hurst Castle, the Guanabara Bay in Rio will play host to the laser competition.

Southampton-born Thompson reckons only Schiedt will have spent more time analysing the environment than him.

The 46-boat line-up – the biggest fleet at Rio 2016 – also includes London 2012 silver medallist Pavlos Kontides, 2015 Olympic Test Event winner Francesco Marrai, 2014 Test Event champion, Tom Burton and world number one, Philipp Buhl (GER). Thompson added: “The Laser is a hugely competitive field. There are realistically 10-15 sailors who on their day could probably medal. There is a huge amount of depth and talent and you really are going to have to turn up absolutely on form.

“There are so many guys that go into the event with a shot of winning so to have won the Worlds two times in a row sends a message to them and I’m sure they are pretty scared of that.

“I’ve been doing this sport for a long time, it’s something I’m hugely passionate about, it means everything to me and the sport’s given me a lot back.

“The gold medal is everything. I’ve dreamt about it from such a young age and it’s something I devote every waking minute to. It really is completely all consuming. Everything in my life that’s not driving me towards an Olympic gold medal I’m not interested and I won’t do it, but everything I know I can do I’m doing.”