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Big day for German athletes

August 9, 2012

Several Germans will go for gold Thursday. Canoeists compete in the morning, while later in the day equestrian riders will seek revenge for recent poor showings. Men's beach volleyball competes in the evening.

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Germany's Jonas Reckermann (left) celebrates a point with his team mate Julius Brink during their men's beach volleyball semifinal match against Netherlands' Reinder Nummerdor and Rich Schuil at Horse Guards Parade during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 7, 2012.
Image: Reuters

Peter Kretschmer and Kurt Kuschela won the gold in the men's canoe double (C2) 1000m finals on Thursday, surging ahead of the competition to snatch the title.

Norman Brockl, Marcus Gross, Tim Wieskotter and Max Hoff are also trying for gold in the men's kayak four (K4) 1000m. If that wasn't enough, Katrin Wagner-Augustin will compete in the women's kayak single (K1) 500m finals, and the canoeing duo of Tina Dietze and Franziska Weber will hope to paddle their way to victory in the women's kayak double (K2) 500m finals. With canoeing being one of Germany's strongest events historically, it's entirely possible that Germany could bring home four gold medals in barely an hour.

Fur will likely fly in the afternoon, as the German trio of Dorothee Schneider, Kristina Sprehe and Helen Langehanenberg will duke it out with twelve other riders in the equestrian event of individual dressage. They'll likely have revenge on their minds, too, as Germany was upset by Great Britain in team dressage on August 7 and forced to settle for silver. Another equestrian shocker Wednesday, when German show jumpers failed to win a medal for the second Olympics in a row, should also be fresh in their minds.

Silver medallists Germany's Dorothee Schneider, Kristina Sprehe and Helen Langehanenberg (L-R) hold up their bouquets during the equestrian dressage team victory ceremony at the London 2012 Olympic Games in Greenwich Park August 7, 2012.
Germany's dressage team will seek revenge for recent strugglesImage: Reuters

Angela Maurer, Germany's sole representative in the grueling women's 10 kilometer swimming marathon, will hope to outlast the competition early in the afternoon.

No fewer than three Germans hope to have golden aim in the women's javelin throw. Kathrina Molitor, Christina Obergföll and Linda Stahl will all compete in the evening event in front of the glow of the Olympic Flame at the Olympic Stadium.

London's Horse Guards Parade will play host to the premier event of the day, the men's beach volleyball gold medal match. Germany's duo of Julius Brink and Jonas Reckermann have had a magical run so far, but in their quest for gold they'll face their toughest test: Brazil's Alison Cerutti and Emanuel Rego. In the final event to take place at the temporary "beach" that's been created at the venue, the world will literally be watching. Regardless of the outcome, a German medal is guaranteed - the first time a German of either gender has won a medal in the event.

bm/slk (AFP, Reuters)