Judo: Tsukada wins 1st over 78-kg title at Fukuoka Int'l meet

Asian Economic News, Dec 13, 2004

FUKUOKA, Dec. 11 Kyodo

Athens Olympics gold medalist Maki Tsukada defeated Japanese rival Midori Shintani in the final to win her first title in the over 78-kilogram weight division at the Fukuoka International Women's Judo Championships on Saturday.

Tsukada dominated the competition en route to her meeting with Shintani, the silver medalist at the 2001 world championships, and rallied from a point deficit to pin her opponent for an ippon victory in the dying seconds of the match at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.

It was Tsukada's second victory at the Fukuoka meet after she won last year's open-weight category title. Japan's Kei Eguchi came third along with Liu Huanyuan of China.

Mina Watanabe of Japan won her first Fukuoka title at 70 kg, followed by Catherine Jacques of Belgium in second and Japan's Asuka Oka and Li Dengyun of China in a share of third.

In other action, Hitomi Tokuhisa claimed top honors at 63 kg while Aneta Szczepanska of Poland placed second with France's Lucie Decosse and Urska Zolnir of Slovenia both claiming third.

Yoshie Ueno, who was aiming to defend her title at 63 kg, came fifth.

China's Liu Xia, who won silver in Athens at 78 kg and claimed the crown in the over 78 kg division last year in Fukuoka, won her first title at 78 kg.