BEIJING, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Michal Martikan of Slovakia and Alexander Grimm of Germany won the first two gold medals awarded Tuesday in canoe/kayak slalom.
Martikan claimed his fourth Olympic medal in the canoe single event. He finished the semifinal and final rounds with a combined time of 176.65 seconds and survived a 2-second penalty on his closing run to defeat Britain's David Florence.
It was Martikan's second gold medal, having won in Atlanta 12 years ago. He picked up silver medals in Sydney and Athens.
"It was not easy," Martikan said. "It is fantastic for me to be the Olympic champion again after 12 years. My dream has come true."
Robin Bell of Australia took the bronze.
Grimm won the singles kayak with a total time of 171.70, ahead of France's Fabien Lefevre.
The bronze medal went to Benjamin Boukpeti, who gave Togo its first Olympic medal ever.
Boukpeti, who was born in France and competes for Togo because his father immigrated from there, made the semifinals in single kayak slalom four years ago.
