Italy scored a hugely impressive all-the-way win in the Mixed Coxed Four - Legs, Trunk and Arms - the final gold medal of the inaugural Paralympic Games Rowing regatta - at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park on Thursday, September 11.
After a flying start, Italy led China through the 250-meter mark and settled into a steady race rhythm that would carry them for the rest of the 1000 meter distance.
As the Graziana Saccocci-stroked Italians consolidated through the second 250 meters, China dropped the pace, allowing Great Britain to mount a mid-race challenge. The British team went through the halfway mark only 3.62 seconds behind Italy with the United States two seconds further back.
Italy responded by increasing its lead over Great Britain and the US team by two more seconds with three quarters of the race gone, and was rowing so technically well that the team was never seriously challenged for the gold medal in the closing stages.
Italy crossed the line in a time of 3:33:13 minutes, with the United States rallying in the final 100 meters to take silver, and relegating an exhausted the Great Britain crew to the bronze medal.
Germany took fourth, China finished fifth and Canada was sixth.
(BOCOG September 11, 2008)