Friday, August 22, 2008 - 6:45 PM

Australia has edged out Poland for a bronze medal in the women's K4 500 metres event at the Shunyi Rowing-Canoeing Park.

The team of Lisa Oldenhof, Hannah Davis, Chantal Meek and Lyndsie Fogarty finished only 0.48 seconds in front of the fast-finishing Poles.

Germany continued their dominance in the event, winning in a time of 1.32.31, with silver going to the crew from Hungary.

It is the fourth consecutive time Germany has won gold in the women's K4 500 metres.

Meek said the team was not sure if they has sneaked home for bronze but a thumbs up from the shoreline confirmed their achievement.

"We didn't know where we were to be honest, we really have been working on the last 150 metres of our race," she told ABC Grandstand.

"So many times we've been in close finishes and we have been in fourth, fifth or sixth and we just didn't want that to happen again."

"We've worked so hard over the last two years, we really have put everything into it."