WORLD champion sailor Alison Young insists “I’ve got as good a chance as anyone” as her quest for Rio 2016 gold gets under way today.

Young is the reigning Laser Radial world champion after winning in Mexico in April.

The former Hampshire student made history en route as the first British woman to win worlds gold in a solo Olympic dinghy event.

The 29-year-old Portland-based star finished fifth on her Olympic Games debut at London 2012, but suffered a setback the following year as she was sidelined from competition through illness for 10 months.

Now Young believes her experiences over the last four years have put her in a great position.

She said: “Winning the worlds was a good confidence boost to take forwards. To perform under pressure in that environment and to keep it together all the way through a seven-day regatta was good.

“I was a little bit shocked after I finished my last race, it was like, ‘I’ve won the worlds, how did that happen?!’ I’ve never stood on the worlds podium at all before so that it was in the Olympic year is great.

“The last four years, there have been plenty of ups and downs.”

Young, who has a first-class honours degree in civil engineering from Southampton University, added: “It was a great experience being part of a very successful British team in London.

“There was some good learning on what the Olympic environment is about, learning how the more experienced members built their campaigns, how hard they worked.”

The Laser Radial class contests an 11-race series, with two races per day on August 8, 9, 10, 12 and 13 before the final one off medal race a week today.