 Veteran crew combines for final fight
By Cui Xiaohuo (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-23 10:37
China's veteran canoeists face the same kind of pressure as other Chinese defending Olympic champions. If they are to retain their titles in today's final, 25-year-old Yang Wenjun and 31-year-old Meng Guangliang, who stunned everyone when they won the men's canoeing double 500m in Athens, will need to forget the past. The pair advanced to the final today in first place in their heat group. Though they finished their heats ahead of other boats, they will face strong challenges from Germany's Christian Gille and Thomasz Wylenzek, Russia's Sergey Ulegin and Alexander Kostoglod and Belarus' Andrei and Aliaksandr Bahdanovich. Russia won bronze in Athens, while the German boat finished just behind Yang/Meng. Five other boats, including Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Canada and Bulgaria, will also contest the final today. "Each boat here is very close. No one can say for sure they will win the race," said Meng after their heats. "Our speed in the heat was definitely not our personal best. I believe we will paddle better and faster in the final." The pair are back together and in top form after a three-year separation, winning two gold medals at two consecutive World Cup events in Hungary and Germany this year. They were boosted by the return in February of their former Canadian coach Marek Ploch, who was instrumental in their Greek success. For the Games, Yang, destined to become one of the best single canoeists, has given up his bid for a single gold in order to combine with Meng one last time. (China Daily 08/23/2008 page25) |
