Burton wins Laser Olympic selection battle

Australian Laser sailor and world No.1 Tom Burton has won Olympic selection ahead of world No.2 Matthew Wearn.

The Australian pair sit atop the world rankings and have been fighting for the chance to go to Rio.

"The battle was of the highest standard," Burton said on Friday.

"Sailing's a harsh sport where only one person can go per class.

"Four years ago it was me in his shoes helping Tom Slingsby train in the lead up to London."

Burton, 25, joins Mathew Belcher, Will Ryan, Nathan Outteridge, Iain Jensen, Lisa Darmanin and Jason Waterhouse on the Australian Sailing Team in Rio.

Australian Sailing's high performance director Peter Conde said Wearn had taken the result on the chin.

"'The Tokyo Games', were his words to me when I spoke to Matt to tell him Tom had been selected," Conde said.

Burton is already in Rio training for the August Games.