SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- Early in a kayak slalom run that had to be perfect, Rebecca Giddens made a mistake. Then another one. Valuable experience was all she earned on the day before her 23rd birthday.

 She finished seventh among the 15 women, nearly 12 points behind gold medalist Stepanka Hilgertova of Czech Republic.

 "I knew then that I wasn't going to medal," said Giddens, the lone American in Monday's final. "So I went out just to have a solid run after that. And I did."

 Fellow American Davey Hearn also was left looking for silver linings after finishing 12th and last in the canoe finals won by France's Tony Estanguet.

 "I think there's a lot of meaning to be here at 41 and the next-youngest guy in the race is 30," said Hearn, who also was happy to be joined by his wife-coach Jennifer and their 1-year-old son, Jesse.

 "I didn't use to believe in that stuff about what's important is to struggle well. But I think I've learned to appreciate that," he said.

 "I mean, you've got to do your best and be happy with that. Michal Martikan is probably disappointed he didn't win another gold, but I told him, 'Silver's pretty good."'

 Slovakia's Martikan, the champion in Atlanta, was leading until Estanguet, who went last, caught him by less than two points. Fellow Slovak Juraj Mincik was third.

 France was second and third in the kayak as Brigitte Guibal won silver and Anne-Lise Bardet got bronze.

 The differences in age between Hearn and Gibbens was most evident in how they reacted after crossing the finish line.

 Hearn didn't want to get out of his canoe. He remained in the water to savor every moment of his third and possibly last Olympics. He was ninth in Atlanta and 11th in Barcelona and will be 45 when the games are held in Athens.

 Hearn said he's undecided about continuing, but realizes that in recent years he has been congratulating others more than they've been congratulating him. He hasn't won an international title since 1995 and has been out of the top three since '97.

 "This racing game is difficult," said Hearn, of Bethesda, Md. "It hasn't gotten any easier over 25 years."

 Giddens rushed out of her kayak with the exuberance you would expect from someone a day shy of 23. She wanted to watch the rest of the race to check out how the competition handled the course.

 As she talked about her performance later, Giddens was smiling tightly and her voice cracked a bit. The disappointment was still too fresh. That's probably why she said she wasn't sure whether she would be gunning for Greece in 2004.

 "Oh, you'll be back," said her husband and coach, Eric Giddens, who finished 20th in canoe slalom in 1996. "She has too much fun with it."