Kayaking bronze for Britain

Great Britain has won a third medal at the Olympics when Helen Reeves was promoted to bronze in the K1 kayak class of the canoeing.

The 23-year-old from Nottingham had originally been placed fourth in the final, but a two-second penalty for third-placed Peggy Dickens of France - announced after the initial results came out - saw the pair swap places.

Reeves posted a combined score of 218.77 seconds for her semi-final and final, based on her aggregate time plus penalty seconds, to pip Dickens by 0.03secs.

Dickens had the right of appeal but decided not to exercise it.

Slovakian Elena Kaliska won the gold medal with 210.03, and American Rebecca Giddens took second place with 214.62.

'Really awesome'

A jubilant Reeves, before heading off to the medal ceremony, said: "It's pretty fantastic.

"I've been having mixed emotions because I thought I was fourth and then got promoted to third."

The 23-year-old was watched by her parents, John and Mary, brother Andrew and sister Jo as she received her medal.

She added: "It's really awesome. I've just seen my family and loads of friends, familiar faces I didn't even realise were here."

Reeves took up the sport at the age of 10 on Basingstoke canal and won gold at the world junior championships aged 15 in 1996.

Her progress was badly hampered by a number of shoulder injuries which required surgery and briefly made her contemplate quitting the sport.

She finished ninth in the senior world championships in 2002 and 15th the following year, but made a major breakthrough with gold in the World Cup event at La Seu d'Urgell in Spain earlier this year, which also sealed her Olympic place.