Gong Zhichao. (AFP)

Gong overcame a 4-point deficit in the first game, then relentlessly worked on Martin's defenses, overtaking her at 11-10 and winning 13-10. She easily won the second game 11-3.

Since no non-Asian women has won a medal of any color, she still made history with her silver. The bronze went to another Chinese, Ye Zhaoying.

"I think she deserved the gold medal. She played better than me," said Martin, the world No. 2, Martin, who is also a fashion model, said the earlier defeat of her fiance, Peter Gade, in the men's singles semifinals had no effect on her own loss.

"I thought, `At last, I have won the gold and it's for myself because it was the singles," Gong said, explaining why tears were streaming down her face as she sang the Chinese national anthem at the medals ceremony.

An erratic and nervous Gade overcame the shock of losing his first game against China's Ji Xinpeng, 15-9, coming back with a vengeance to win the next one 15-1. But he couldn't maintain the momentum, made errors and lost the deciding set 15-9.

"Of course, the Chinese played a very good game, but I was able to believe in my game in the second," Gade said. "I tried everything in my head in the third, but it wasn't enough.

Ji will play Indonesia's Hendrawan in the finals on Saturday. The Indonesian defeated China's Xia Xuanze 15-12, 15-4. Gade will take on Xia for the bronze.

In women's doubles, polite applause replaced the normal patriotic pandemonium at the badminton arena when Ge Fei and Gu Jun, ranked first by the International Badminton Federation, beat Chinese teammates Gao Ling and Qin Yiquan 15-7, 15-12. Gao and Qin held on stubbornly in the second game, which seesawed until a 12-12 tie, then faltered.

The Chinese, who already own the mixed doubles and women's singles gold, were assured of another in the women's doubles when the South Korean pair of Chung Jae-hee and Ra Kyung-min fell to world No. 2 Huang Nanyan and Yang Wei 15-6, 15-11.

The match featured an incredible rally that went on for 109 strokes and lasted one minute, 38 seconds.

As winners Ge and Gun walked off the court, Richard Wagner's stirring "Ride of the Valkyries" - mythic women warriors - filled the arena. The stadium Friday was awash in red, the dominant color of the flags of China, Denmark and Indonesia.

Martin was a confident underdog heading into the showdown with Gong. The pair had clashed five times, with the 23-year-old Chinese winning four. Neither Gong nor Martin had dropped a game on their way to the finals here.

In earlier rounds, the 26-year-old Martin dispatched her opponents with ease, displaying an icy coolness and focused intensity throughout every match. She drubbed Mia Audina Tjiptawan of the Netherlands 11-2, 11-1, and Dai 11-5, 11-0 to reach the finals.

Along with the Danes, the British have prevented an all-Asian medals sweep. They took a bronze in mixed doubles, earning Britain's first Olympic medal in the sport.

"Generally the Chinese can tolerate more, have better endurance. We experience difficulties in our training but we don't give up and thus we are able to succeed," Ye said in explaining the domination of Chinese women in badminton.