Norway's Olaf Tufte came through on the finish line to defend his Olympic title and win the men's single scull on Lake Shunyi on Saturday in one of the most hotly contested events of the regatta.
New Zealand's three-times world champion Mahe Drysdale had entered the regatta as the favourite and led coming into the final stretch but was rowed down by the fast finishing Tufte.
Drysdale faded to third and Ondrej Synek of the Czech Republic, who has so often finished behind Drysdale, took the silver.
All six singles in the final were rarely separated by more than a boat length in the tight race and Tufte flexed his muscles as he sat over the finish line, while Drysdale slumped in his boat.
Drysdale was later helped from his boat and onto a stretcher but a Reuters witness said he did not look seriously ill.
Britain's Alan Campbell, who started well and won a World Cup race this year, finished fifth, while Belgium's Tim Maeyens, who also led at one point, finished fourth.
