China and Algeria both received double happiness in judo as they each wrapped up the two golds in women's and men's competition respectively at the Beijing Paralympics on Sunday.
Guo Huaping and Cui Na both surprised their coaches and themselves after winning the women's -48kg and -52 kg divisions.
Guo overwhelmed Brazilian Karla Cardoso, silver medallist at the 2004 Athens Paralympics, by an ippon.
The 27-year-old from a farmer's family in east China's Jiangxi Province participated in the Athens Games where the women's judo made its Paralympic debut and finished fifth.
Guo started strongly to throw Cardoso for yuko in the final while the Brazilian could hardly cope with the aggressive rival. A determined Guo ended the match after throwing Cardoso for ippon.
Earlier, Carmen Brussig from Germany and Russian Victotia Potapova conquered the bronze medals.
"I didn't do well in Athens 2004, because I was too nervous since it was my first major competition. I worked very hard in the past four years, but I didn't expect a gold medal. I was just thinking to make the top three," said Guo. "I have no time to call my families so far, but I can't wait to share my happiness with them."
Less than six minutes after Guo's inspiring triumph, her teammate Cui Na defeated Sandrine Aurieres-Martinet from France in women's -52 division.
Cui, a Paralympic debutant, won over the stubborn French rival by waza-ari 30 seconds before the five-minute bout ended.
The 19-year-old, who plans to extend her golden trip to London in 2012, took the gold not only as a reward to her own effort, but a morale booster for all disabled people in China.
"I've been training for seven years. It's very hard. This is the first gold medal for our country in the -52kg division. I think it's a breakthrough," she said. "I also want to say, although we are disabled, we have very strong minds."
The bronze medals went to Russia's Alesya Stepanyuk who beat the Japanese Minako Tsuchiya by awasete ippon, while Brazilian Michelle Ferreira overcame Sheila Hernandez from Spain by ippon.
While China dominated the judo mat in women's event, Algerian judokas made a gold sweep in men's competition.
Mouloud Noura captured the gold of men's -60kg class after overcoming Iranian Saeed Rahmati, while Sidali Lamri beat three-time Paralympic champion Satoshi Fujimoto from Japan to win the gold in the men's -66kg division in overtime.
Noura sailed into the final with two straight ippon victories and the 26-year-old showed even stronger determination in the final. The victory came less than 40 seconds into action and the Algerian threw his Iranian rival for ippon.
"There's a loser and a winner in any competition and the only thing I've thought is to win the gold medal. I've made every preparation to win the Games," said Noura.
China's Li Xiaodong won his second Paralympic bronze medal after the Athens Games by overcoming the Russian Said Shakhmanov in less than one minute with an ippon, while Ramin Ibrahimov from Azerbaijan shared the third place with the Chinese by beating Britain's Ben Quilter.
In the last match of the day, Algerian Lamri upset Japanese Fujimoto, the favorite for men's -66kg division, in the golden score period. The Japanese had his right arm injured during the regular five-minute bout, but he was unremitting until Lamri finally threw him for waza-ari.
"In the name of God, I would first like to say that winning this medal was very and very difficult," said Lamri. "I am very happy and proud winning this gold medal. I have known Fujimoto for a long time. I have defeated him before and he did too."
Despite letting go a fourth Paralympic gold, Fujimoto was satisfied with his performance.
"A lot of people expected me to get the gold, but I've got the silver. But I'm still proud to return to Japan with it," he said.
In the bronze medal matches, Victor Sanchez from Cuba defeated Ukrainian Sergii Karpeniuk Arpeniuk by waza-ari and Jani Kallunki beat Reza Golmohammadi Andarian from Iran by osaekomi ippon.
(Xinhua News Agency September 8, 2008)