August 24, 2008	Sunday	Sha'aban 21, 1429

BEIJING, Aug 23: The Spanish silver medallist could not help throwing up on the podium.

The Ukrainian bronze medallist had to be picked up by the rescue boat after fainting on the finish line. And the German silver medallist from another race spent several hours in hospital.

With such short distances of 1,000 and 500 metres, canoeists and kayakers out on Lake Shunyi push themselves to exhaustion.

After the second race of the day on Saturday, two of the medal winners had to be driven the short distance to the press conference because they could not walk.

Spain’s David Cal looked white and threw up while collecting his silver medal, while Iurii Cheban of Ukraine fainted several times after finishing third.

Germany’s Thomasz Wylenzek was taken to hospital after collapsing following his silver medal-winning effort in the double.

However it seems that a gold medal can override all pain.

Russia’s Maxim Opalev who won the gold over Cal and Cheban danced all the way to the press conference, waving his flag on the way.—Reuters