Spanish paddlers snatched the gold medal in the men's kayak double (K2) 500m by finishing the race with a result of 1:28.736 in Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park on Saturday, breaking the Germans' eight-year dominance.
The Spanish paddlers were the leaders all the way long. But defending champions German crew were energetic in their final sprint. Spain won the race by a hair. Germany got the silver medal (1:28.827) and the bronze medal was taken by Belarus (1:30.005).
"It's wonderful that we got the gold medal. We weren't expecting this; we cannot believe it," Spanish paddler Saul Craviotto said after the race.
"I'm dying. We are at our limits. We gave everything we could," he added.
On losing the gold medal and his undefeated eight year title, German paddler Ronald Rauhe said: "What can I say, it has been eight years at the top. It wasn't going to last forever."
"How can you not be happy with an Olympic silver? But not getting gold does hurt," he said.
"I had this feeling that we were going to win but everyone was good today and we didn't underestimate anyone," his partner Tim Wieskotter said.
The German crew created the word best time of 1:26.971 in Szeged of Hungary in 2002. Belarus won the bronze medal in the Athens Olympics in 2004.
In flatwater races, paddlers must race on a straight course, each boat in a separate lane. There are different distances for the athletes to compete in, the 500m and 1000m.
(Xinhua News Agency August 23, 2008)