Denmark delivers with gold in Lightweight Men's Four

The Danish team row strokes. (Photo credit: Wu Xiaoling/Xinhua)

(BEIJING, August 17) -- After posting the fastest times of the heats and semifinals, Denmark (Thomas Ebert, Morten Joergensen, Mads Christian Kruse Andersen and Eskild Balschmidt Ebbesen) posted the best time in the medal race to win gold in the Lightweight Men's Four. Their time of 5:47.76 beat out second-place finisher Poland, who finished in 5:49.39, and bronze-medalist Canada, who finished in 5:50.09.

Denmark led from start to finish in the race, while Poland reached the 500 meter mark at the back of a close field of competitors. Great Britain was in the medal mix at the 1500m mark -- in third place just 0.25 seconds ahead of Canada -- but was passed by Canada and France in the final stretch.

"I love to row -- work with everything that makes the boat go fast. The teamwork, the physique," Ebbesen said after the win, "I'm just happy to be at the Olympics."

Lightweight Men's Four, final standings:

1. Denmark -- 5:47.76

Thomas Ebert, Morten Joergensen, Mads Christian Kruse Andersen, Eskild Balschmidt Ebbesen

2. Poland -- 5:49.39

Lukasz Pawlowski, Bartlomiej Pawelczak, Milosz Bernatajtys, Pawel Randa

3. Canada -- 5:50.09

Iain Brambell, Jon Beare, Mike Lewis, Liam Parsons

4. France -- 5:51.22

Franck Solforosi, Guillaume Raineau, Jean-Christophe Bette, Fabien Tilliet

5. Great Britain -- 5:52.12

Richard Chambers, James Lindsay-Fynn, Paul Mattick, James Clarke

6. Netherlands -- 5:54.06

Gerard van der Linden, Marshall Godschalk, Ivo Snijders, Paul Drewes