Meng Guanliang and Yang Wenjun of China compete in the men's canoe double (C2) 500m final at Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the Shunyi Rowing-Canoeing Park in Beijing, China, Aug. 23, 2008. They won the gold medal. (Xinhua/Jiang Enyu)

Defending champions China's Meng Guanliang and Yang Wenjun successfully won gold again with a time of 1:41.025 minutes in the final of the Men's Flatwater Canoe Double (C2) 500 meter on Saturday, August 23.

Russia's Sergey Ulegin and Alexander Kostoglod finished 0.257 seconds after for a silver medal, and third place went to Germany's Christian Gille and Thomasz Wylenzek.

The Chinese pair kept the lead throughout the whole 500m. The Russian pair ranked fourth in the first half and sped up to second place in the latter half.

This is the first Olympic experience for Russia's Ulegin, but the fifth time for his partner Kostoglod, who claimed bronze in this event in Athens.

The German pair maintained third place throughout the race. They ranked fifth in this event in Athens.

Editor: Yan