Isao Cruz (Cuba) is the new Men's Judo -81kg Paralympic Champion, after defeating France's Cyril Jonard at the Workers' Gymnasium on Monday, September 8.

The final was a remarkably close affair, with both athletes failing to score in normal time. As the contest entered the Golden Score period the two judokas continued to attack, but neither could find the decisive move.

Finally, with just a minute of time left, Cruz executed a simple throw for a yuko and the gold medal was his.

It was too cruel for Jonard, the 2004 Paralympic Games champion, as the Frenchman looked in good form throughout the competition.

It is Cuba's first Judo medal of the Games, and goes some way to making up for Jorge Hierrezuelo's disappointing performance in the Men's -73kg, where he finished fifth.

In the earlier rounds, Cruz beat Japan's Oga Kenji by awaza-ari-awasete-ippon, before overcoming Jorge Lencina (Argentina) by ippon in the semifinal.

Jonard overcame Reinaldo Carvallo (Venezuela) by ippon in one minute in his semifinal, having earlier survived a series of fierce assaults in his first game to win by ippon against Iran's Seyed Amir Mirhassan. He then beat comfortably Gabor Vincze (Hungary) by ippon.

In the bronze medal matches, Carvallo overcame the disappointment of his semifinal loss to take a bronze medal, beating Oga by ippon, and Mirhassan also took bronze, overcoming Lencina on points with a yuko.

(BOCOG September 8, 2008)