Tang Bin, Jin Ziwei, Xi Aihua and Zhang Yangyang of China celebrate after Women's Quadruple Sculls Final A of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games rowing event at Shunyi Rowing-Canoeing Park in Beijing, China, Aug. 17, 2008. The Chinese team won the gold medal of the event with a time of 6 minutes and 16.06 seconds. (Xinhua Photo)

　　Tang Bin, Jin Ziwei, Xi Aihua and Zhang Yangyang of China scull strokes during Women's Quadruple Sculls Final A of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games rowing event at Shunyi Rowing-Canoeing Park in Beijing, China, Aug. 17, 2008. The Chinese team won the gold medal of the event. (Xinhua Photo)

　　BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- China clinched the gold medal in the Olympic event of women's quadruple sculls with a solid win here on Sunday, the first rowing gold medal for China in Olympic history.

　　The Chinese crew finished the 2000-meter race with a result of 6 minutes 16.06 seconds, some half a length ahead of the second boat. The British and German boats won the silver and bronze medals with results of 6:17.37 and 6:19.56 respectively.

　　The British boat took the lead in the first 1500 meters. The Chinese crew hastened its stroke rate in the sprint and hit the finish line amidst the deafening applause of audience.

　　"Our coach told us before the final that we should relieve our pressure and show our normal capability. We rowed in unison and would never give up," Tang Bing said after the race.

　　On her feelings after winning the gold medal, Tang said: "It's just like a dream."

　　At the 1,500m mark, China mounted their challenge and, in the space of 20 strokes had overtaken the leaders to establish a half-length lead which they were able to maintain to the line.

　　"I'm very proud to make contribution to China's Rowing. I'm very excited and very happy to realize the dream of getting a gold medal," Chinese rower Jin Ziwei said.

　　"Rowing is a sport which the Europeans have been good at for a long time, but we proved the Chinese can also do well in this sport," another Chinese rower XI Aihua said.

　　Germany is very strong in the event because it has claimed all the four Olympic gold medals in the event from 1992 to 2004.

　　The Olympic best time for the event was created by a British crew at Athens Olympics in 2004 with a result of 6 minutes 15.60 seconds. But the world best time of 6 minutes 10.80 seconds was made by Germans on a home course in Duisburg of Germany in May 1996.