IN the weeks leading up to the London Olympics, when every other athlete was dreaming of winning gold and conquering the world, Mat Belcher was planning for his life post-Olympics.

He enrolled himself in a University course, and set out a plan for Rio in 2016. It wasn’t that he was overconfident about winning gold in London, it’s just the mindset that has made the 30-year-old one of the world’s most formidable sailors.

Mind you, he had every right to feel confident about London. Together with sailing legend Malcolm Page the Gold Coast-based sailors had won the past three 470 World Championships and were unbeaten for the best part of 12 months leading in to London.

It was just that Belcher felt he needed to add to the business degree he already held, to set himself up post-Olympic career.

“In sailing a lot of it is long term planning, and…