Germany's Fischer misses ninth gold

Germany's Birgit Fischer failed in her bid to win a record-equalling ninth Olympic gold medal yesterday when world champions Hungary won the women's K2 500 final.

Fischer had been bidding to join ex-Soviet gymnast Larissa Latynina and athletes Paavo Nurmi and Carl Lewis and swimmer Mark Spitz at the top of the record books for the most summer Olympic gold medals won.

Hungary, who lost to Germany by less than a metre in Friday's women's K4 500 final, overtook the Germans in the second half to give Natasa Janics her second gold medal in little over an hour.

Jubilant Janics threw herself in the lake and later danced for photographers and fans.

Germany took the silver and Poland finished third. "Silver was good and nothing more was possible," said 42-year-old Fischer whose eight gold medals, including one on Friday, stretch back to 1980.

The spectators stands at Schinias were dominated by Germans and Hungarians and the latter were delighted to have something to celebrate after the Germans won two golds earlier in the day.

Andreas Dittmer won his third Olympic gold in the C1 500 to make up for his silver medal on Friday and Ronald Rauhe and Tim Wieskoetter won gold in the C2 500.

David Cal, who won the gold on Friday, took silver and was later congratulated by Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. Russia's Maxim Opalev held on for bronze.

In the women's K1, Janics powered to the Olympic gold medal to the delight of her boisterous Hungarian fans.

Italy's Olympic champion Josefa Idem took silver and Canada's Caroline Brunet finished third.

In the men's K1 500, Canada's Adam van Koeverden stormed to gold, to add to the K1 1,000 bronze medal he picked up on Friday.

Double world champion Nathan Baggaley had led from the start but van Koeverden moved up through the field in the second half to take the title.

Australian Baggaley held on for silver and Britain's Ian Wynne took bronze.

Closest final

China's Meng Guanliang and Yang Wenjun clinched the gold medal in the men's C2 500 in the closest final of the day ahead of Cuba and Russia.

Germany's Rauhe and Wieskoetter took the gold in the K2 where Australia finished second to give Baggaley his second silver medal of the morning.