Yuan Yanping won China's fourth Women's Judo gold in the +70kg class at the Workers' Gymnasium on Tuesday, September 9.

Yuan defeated Brazil's Deanne Silva by osaekomi ippon in a final that lasted little more than a minute, and confirmed her status as the leading judoka in the +70kg class. She won the 2007 IBSA World Championships in Rio de Janeiro and the 2006 IBSA Judo World Championships in Brommat, France.

Yuan beat Zoubida Bouazoug (Algeria) by osaekomi in her semifinal. Earlier, Yuan won her first match by the unusual method of penalties alone -- four shidos resulting in disqualification -- with Irina Kalyanova (Russia) consistently declining to stand her ground.

En route to the final, Silva overcame Spain's Sara de Pinies by ippon then beat Japan's Rikei Komatsu in the semifinals inside a minute, also by ippon.

In the two bronze medal matches, Kalyanova defeated Komatsu by waza-ari-awasete-ippon to earn a fifth bronze for Russia's Women judokas.

In the other match, Bouazoug beat De Pinies by ippon to win a third Judo medal for Algeria, following Mouloud Noura (Men's -60kg) and Sidali Lamri (Men's -66kg).

China's Women judokas have now won four gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games. Yuan joins Guo Huaping in the -48kg class, Cui Na in the -52kg class and Wang Lijing in the -57kg division as Paralympic champions.

(BOCOG September 9, 2008)