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Tanimoto joins Olympic judo greats

12/08/2008

Japan's Ayumi Tanimoto has defended her Olympic 63kg judo title in Beijing, becoming only the second woman to ever do so.

The 27-year-old beat Frenchwoman Lucie Decosse in the final by ippon, just as she had done throughout the previous rounds.

Decosse was initially reluctant to return to her feet to bow and shake hands with Tanimoto, who later admitted it had been good to gain "revenge" over opponents who had beaten her in the past.

The only bronze in the weight division went to Dutch judoka Elisabeth Willeboordse.

In the men's 81kg division Germany's Ole Bischof beat South Korea's Kim Jae-bum in the final.

Tiago Camilo of Brazil won bronze, as did Roman Gontiuk of Ukraine.