Germany looking strong, take two kayaking gold medals

Beijing, Aug 22 : Germany looked strong Friday at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park, as they took two of the first four gold medals on offer for the day.

They won the women's kayak four (K4) 500m and the kayak two (K2) 1,000m, while Briton Tim Brabants won the kayak single (K1) over 1,000m and Attila Sandor Vajda from Hungary took gold in the canoe single (C1) over 1,000m.

Brabants, who is the reigning world champion in the K1, but only has an Olympic bronze medal from Athens to his credit, won in 3 minutes 26.323 seconds ahead of Norwegian Eirik Veraas Larsen, who was the defending champion, and Ken Wallace from Australia.

Brabants said his strategy had worked out. "It's incredible, absolutely incredible. The race went one hundred per cent to plan. I need to thank my coach for that."

"I have had a great season and to finish it up with the most enjoyable race I have ever had is fantastic. When you realise you have crossed the line first you don't feel tired."

In the C1, Vadja beat Spain's David Cal and Canadian Thomas Hall to the gold. The Hungarian won in 3:50.46, beating Cal by 2.284 seconds, while Hall took bronze.

Vadja was proud to be the first Hungarian gold medal winner in Beijing. "Hopefully I will not be the last.

The German four of Fanny Fischer, Nicole Reinhardt, Katrin Wagner-Augustin and Conny Wasmuth clinched the women's K4 over 500 metres, with Hungary taking silver and Australia bronze.

The Germans won in a time of 1:32.231, beating Hungary by 0.740 seconds.

Germany added a second gold as Andreas Ihle and Martin Hollstein won the K2, beating Kim Wraae Knudsen and Rene Holten Poulsen from Denmark into second place. Andrea Facchin and Antonio Scaduto from Italy took the bronze.

--IANS