Thomas Ebert, Morten Joergensen, Mads Christian Kruse Andersen and Eskild Balschmidt Ebbesen of Denmark row strokes during LWT Men's Four Final A of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games rowing event at Shunyi Rowing-Canoeing Park in Beijing, China, Aug. 17, 2008. The Denish team won the gold medal of the event. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Denmark was crowned in lightweight men's four in Olympic rowing held in Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park on Sunday with a result of 5 minutes 47.76 seconds.

    They were followed by Poland with a result of 5:49.39 and Canada with 5:50.09.

    Denmark took the lead all the way to the finish line. It finished the first 1,000 meters race with a result of 2:52.43, securing a one-length lead. The stroke rate of the Danish crew was 39 per minute during the race, one or two strokes more than the runners-up.

    "We lead from the start. It couldn't be better. We have the strength in the end. It's the true day of fairy tales," Danish rower Andersen told reporters in the mixed zone.

    "I had an idea we weren't winning, I knew we weren't last but we just closed our eyes and kept rowing. We knew we had a good 500 meters sprint at the end, we weren't relying on it today but we were glad it was there," bronze medalist Canadian rower Iain Brambell said.

    "I know it's not gold or silver but I feel like we won," his partner Mike Lewis said.

    The Olympic best time for the event is 5 minutes 50.24 seconds, a result achieved by an Australian crew at Athens Olympics in 2004. The world best time is 5 minutes 45.60 seconds created by a Danish team at Lucerne of Switzerland in July 1999.

    Denmark won two Olympic gold medals in the event in 1996 Atlanta and 2004 Athens respectively, the only country in the world which has claimed two Olypmic gold medals in the event.