Helen Reeves claimed bronze for Great Britain in a dramatic climax to the women's K1 kayak singles final.
HELEN REEVES FACTFILE
1980: Born 6 September in Fleet, Hampshire
1996: Wins at world junior championships
2002: Wins bronze in the world championships team event
2003: Defends senior and U-23 titles at UK championships
2004: Wins in Spain to seal her place in the Olympics
August 2004: Wins Olympic bronze in Athens
The 23-year-old had initially finished outside of the medals in fourth but was pushed up the order after Peggy Dickens of France landed a further penalty.
France were expected to appeal, but did not lodge an objection.
Earlier, Stuart McIntosh's chances of a medal in the men's C1 final were dashed when the Great Britain paddler tipped over during his final run.
Reeves and Dickens dramatically swopped places after the Frenchwoman was handed an additional two-second penalty for missing a gate - after the initial results had been announced.
And the Nottingham paddler, awarded a final score of 218.77, was ecstatic after fearing she had just missed out.
"I've always dreamed of standing on the podium at the Olympics with a gold around my neck, but a bronze will do for now," she said.
"It's pretty fantastic. I've been having mixed emotions because I thought I was fourth and then got promoted to third."
Elena Kaliska, of Slovakia, won the event with 210.03 points, America's Rebecca Giddens took silver with 214.62, while Dickens was fourth with 218.80.
Meanwhile, McIntosh lost his balance coming out of gate seven and finished last of the eight C1 competitors.
The 29-year-old felt his failure to win an appeal against hitting a gate in the semi finals ultimately cost him dear.
McIntosh battles through the white water in the C1 slalom
"My appeal in the first run for hitting gate nine failed. If I had won it I
would have been fifth instead of seventh going into the final," he said.
"But it didn't alter my tactics. I knew I had to win it or
finish eighth. It was win it or nothing but unfortunately I blew it and it was
"I knew I needed a good exit of gate seven but I had to lean back off the pole and I went over.
"I knew I was finished and I had nothing left in my arms. I'm gutted, but that's slalom. You have to be on the edge and I guess you can't win them all."
Michal Martikan had led going into the C1 final and was initially awarded gold with a score of 187.28 points.
But following two additional penalty points for hitting a gate, the Slovakian was demoted to silver and the gold went to the defending champion Tony Estanguet, of
France, who recorded 189.16.
Germany's Stefan Pfannmoeller accrued 191.56 to secure bronze.
McIntosh finished in eighth on 211.19.