BEIXIAOYING TOWN, China: Meng Guanliang and Yang Wenjun won the men’s 500-meter canoe double on Saturday, successfully defending their Athens win and now owners of China’s only two Olympic gold medals in the sport.

“Last time in Athens, we only had a very slow start, and we won the Olympic title in Athens purely out of good luck,” Yang said. “This time it has been a really tough race, because our opponents are stronger than last time.”

On dry land, the pair showed their appreciation for the thousands of Chinese fans who waved flags and rushed the railing to snap pictures.

Meng and Yang clutched a flag on the medal pontoon, turned to face the fans across the lake that filled the grandstands and took their golden bows.

The Hungarian pair of Katalin Kovacs and Natasa Janic won the gold medal in women’s 500-meter kayak double (K-2) in 1:41.308. The two-time world champions hugged on the dock in a scene that has become familiar after this speed race. The big upset of the final day of medal races at Shunyi Rowing-Canoeing Park came in the men’s 500-meter K-2.

The German pair of Ronald Rauhe and Tim Wieskotter were the defending gold medalists and have been the world champions since 2001. This time, they sat in their kayaks stunned and with their heads down.

Saul Craviotto and Carlos Perez of Spain won in 1:28.736, pumping their fists and yelling in celebration as they crossed the line.

At least they made it to the medal stand in one piece. Other kayakers and canoeists continued to fall ill in the heat after the grueling races.

After the 500 C-1, bronze medalist Ukrainian Iurii Cheban laid on the dock as medical personnel poured water on him. When he tried to stand, he crumbled to the ground, and needed two people to help him get back up.

Silver medalist David Cal of Spain also felt dizzy after the race, but said that was not unusual considering the athletes try to work as hard as they can on the water.

Germany’s Thomasz Wylenzek felt well enough to receive his bronze medal in the 500 K-2, a day after he was treated for dehydration at a hospital. He missed Saturday’s medal ceremony for 1,000 C-2.

In other races:

In the men’s 500 K-1, Ken Wallace of Australia won gold in 1:37.252. Canadian Adam van Koeverden of Canada took silver in 1:37.630. Britain’s Tim Brabants has a bronze medal to go along with the gold he won in the 1,000-meter K-1 race a day earlier.

In the men’s 500 C-1, Russian Maxim Opalev won the gold medal in 1:47.140, giving him his third medal in the last three Olympics and first gold.

In the women’s 500 K-1, Inna Osypenko-Radomska of Ukraine won in 1:50.673. Josefa Idem of Italy was right behind with the silver medal in 1:50.677. Katrin Wagner-Augustin of Germany won bronze in 1:51.022.

In the men’s 500 K-2, Raman Piatrushenka and Vadzim Makhneu of Belarus took bronze in 1:30.005.

In the men’s 500 C-2, Sergey Ulegin and Alexander Kostoglod of Russia won silver in 1:41.282. Wylenzek and Christian Gille took bronze in 1:41.964.

In the women’s 500 K-2, Beata Mikolajczyk and Aneta Konieczna of Poland took silver in 1:42.092. The French tandem of Marie Delattre and Anne-Laure Viard were the bronze medalists in 1:42.128.