The German team in the final
(BEIJING, August 22) -- The German team of Fanny Fischer, Nicole Reinhardt, Katrin Wagner-Augustin and Conny Wassmuth took the lead in the first 250 meters and finished first in the Women's Flatwater Kayak Four (K4) 500m final on Friday, August 22.
The German team clocked 44.84 seconds in the first 250m, and finished the entire course in 1:32.231 minutes for the gold medal.
Hungary's Katalin Kovacs, Gabriella Timea Szabo, Danuta Kozak and Natasa Janic earned the silver with a total time of 1:32.971 minutes, only 0.740 seconds behind the German team. Hungary trailed the gold medal winners by 0.99 seconds in the first 250m, and actually finished the second 250m in the fastest time of all teams, with 47.141 seconds.
Australia's Lisa Oldenhof, Hannah Davis, Chantal Meek and Lyndsie Fogarty finished the first 250m in fifth place, but pulled in front of the Polish team to earn the bronze medal with a total time of 1:34.704 minutes, only 0.048 seconds faster than fourth place Poland.
Although Germany brought an entirely different team to the Beijing Games, it was able to repeat its Athens gold medal finish in this event. Hungary also won the silver medal in Athens, and Kovacs is the 2004 K4 team's only returning kayaker.
Posts
