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Canoeist paddles to 18th British gold
Kiran Randhawa and Shekhar Bhatia in Beijing22 Aug 2008
Britain took its 18th gold medal today as canoeist Tim Brabants came first in the 1000m kayaking.
The 31-year-old doctor entered the K1 1000m final as one of Britain's brightest hopes for a gold as the World and European champion.
He will make his second bid for gold in the K1 500m tomorrow.
Today's race is a huge boost for Brabants, from Chertsey, after he only managed bronze in the same event in the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
He only just squeezed into the final of the men's K1 500m final by finishing third in his semi-final at Beijing's Shunyi rowing and canoeing park yesterday.
After the 500m semi-final, Brabants vowed to follow the example set by Britain's successful rowing team, by grabbing a gold medal in at least one of his two events.
He said: "This has been a very successful bit of water for us over the last two weeks and it's time for me to do my part."
It is Team GB's 18th gold and has put them two steps ahead of Russia on the medal table, who are in fourth place with 16 golds.
The team suffered a setback in the battle for third place after Phillips Idowu failed to win the triple jump yesterday and Shanaze Reade fell off her bike in the BMX final today, but there are still chances to win more golds.
Three British boxers are all set for medals. Middleweight James DeGale is guaranteed at least silver, with David Price in the super-heavyweight and light-heavyweight Tony Jeffries guaranteed at least bronze.
Lisa Dobriskey in the women's 1500m, modern pentathlete Katy Livingston and the women's 400m relay team, including 400m gold medalist Christine Ohuruogu, could also do well.
Russia are biting at our heels with four to five gold hopefuls today alone, including the men's 50km walk and pole vault.
