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Japanese judo wrestlers fail to find gold
(AP)
Updated: 2006-12-05 14:21

DOHA, Qatar _ Japan hit a new low on the judo mats Monday, failing to win a single gold as China, North and South Korea and Mongolia shared the spoils.

Japanese judoka managed to make only two finals. And they didn't last long.

Aiko Sato, a four-time World Cup medalist, held on just nine seconds before China's Xu Yan had her on her back in the under-57-kilogram class. Masahiro Takamatsu was thrown to defeat just 1 minute, 33 seconds into his bout against South Korea's Lee Won-hee, a gold medalist at the Athens Olympics, in the under-73-kilogram division.

"I didn't expect to get the gold medal so quickly," Xu said.

An Kum Ae earned North Korea's first gold of the games when she needed just 1:01 minutes to take down Bundmaa Munkhbaatar in the under 52 kilogram division.

Tsagaanbaatar Haskhbaatar of Mongolia defeated Iran's two-time world champion Arash Miresmaeili for the gold in the men's under-66 kilograms.

Athens silver medalist Yuki Yokosawa, one of Japan's gold medal favorites heading into the competition, could only muster a bronze. Japan's other wrestler, Hiroyuki Akimoto, lost in the quarterfinals to Haskhbaatar.

Monday's results left the Japanese disgruntled.

"All of my coaches and instructors are here today," Yokosawa said after her semifinals loss to An. "I'm very disappointed that I couldn't win the gold medal because they came all the way from Japan to see me."

Japan came to Doha hoping to win most of the 16 Asian Games judo golds on offer, but its team is riddled with injury and absences. Only two of Japan's eight Athens Olympic gold medalists are here.

After winning two of the four golds on the first day, Japan's only winner on Sunday was Athens gold medalist Masae Ueno, who came through brilliantly in the women's under-70-kilogram division, using a leg sweep to throw South Korea's Bae Eun-hye to the mat in 3 minutes, 26 seconds.

With no golds Monday, Japan is now tied with China and South Korea, which also have three golds apiece. Mongolia has two and North Korea one.

The judo competition concludes on Tuesday.