Japan's judo mum aims for third Olympic title

Celebrity, super-mum and one of the most feared judo champions of her time, Japan's Ryoko Tani has put family matters on hold to compete for a record third consecutive gold at the Beijing Olympics.

The first woman judoka to successfully defend an Olympic title, Tani will spearhead a team with lofty expectations, but one facing an uphill battle to match its extraordinary Athens haul of eight gold medals.

First up in the extra-lightweight (48kg) class when the judo competition begins on Saturday, the pint-sized 32-year-old will open Japan's campaign in a strong group featuring France's Frederique Jossinet, who she defeated in the final at Athens.