Canoe/kayak races on flatwater courses in day four featured one big shock for Germany and one surprise win for the host country China in Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park on Thursday.
In the semifinals of six boat classes of the day, the first event proceeded as expected, with Canadian paddler van Koeverden Adam, the world best time holder, winning in the first group of men's kayak single (K1) 500m. He finished the whole race with one minute and 42.438 seconds.
He created a new world best time by finishing the heat race with a result of one minute and 35.554 seconds on Tuesday. The last world best time for the event is one minute and 35.63 seconds, a result he created in Poland earlier this year.
The second event, men's canoe single (C1) 500m, brought a shock to all the people on the venue. The defending champion Andreas Dittmer from Germany ranked fourth in the semifinal and thus failed to gain the final berth.
"I don't feel 100 per cent fit. I'm not sure if the problem is in my training. It's the first time I haven't made a final," he told reporters in the mixed zone after the race.
On whether he is too old to compete, the 36-year-old paddler said: "You could say that." As for his expectations for the canoe single (C1) 1000m he is also participating, he said: "I'm not expecting anything special. I don't know if I can give anymore."
Hungarian paddler Attila Sandor Vajda won the second group of the semifinal in the event.
"So hard for me. I tried to be in the first three. My start is the best because in the heat I missed a good start. So I concentrate on the start this time. First good start, after I can do everything," the 25-year-old Hungarian said.
"After 250 meters, I looked around and I knew I am in the first three. When I came to the finish line, I know I am in the final," he added.
He also talked about his expectations for the race.
"If I can do the same like today, I can catch a medal. A medal is a good present for me. Everything is possible."
China reaped a surprise win in women's kayak single (K1) 500m. Zhong Hongyan was the heroine.
She lagged behind in the start, but she paddled hard and reached the second place at the 250m point. In the latter part, she went faster and faster until she hit the finish line and won the race with a result of one minute and 53.163 seconds.
On her surprise win, she said: "I paddled with my own rhythm in spite of the unfavorable wind. My arch rivals in the final will be Hungary, Germany and Italy. They are so strong. But I will try to surpass them. It's quite difficult to catch a medal, but I will try. I am now in good form," she said.
Thursday also saw semifinals in men's kayak double (K2) 500m, men's canoe double (C2) 500m and women's kayak double 500m. European countries like Hungary, Poland, Romania and Denmark are strong and qualified for the final. Japan won the semifinal in women's kayak double.
In the next two days, canoe/kayak flatwater events will come to the finals. A total of 12 gold medals will be at stake. Germany and Hungary are still considered the most powerful countries in the flatwater events. But paddlers from other countries will surely spare no effort to win.
(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2008)