Judo shocks at the G-MEX

01 August 2002

England added another two judo gold medals to the three they picked up on Tuesday night, but they did not have all their own way.

The host country celebrate another gold but they didn't have it all their own way

The first upset of the evening came in the Men’s semi-finals in the 73kg weight category, when Tom Hill (AUS) and Christodoulos Christodoulides (CYP) scored surprise victories over Lee Burbridge (ENG) and Lee McGrorty (SCO) at the semi-final stage.

Hill went on to defeat the Cypriot in the final to record Australia’s first-ever judo gold in the Commonwealth Games.

It wasn’t long before they added a second. Maria Pekli (AUS) was always favourite to win the Women’s 57kg, and she lived up to her billing. Scotland’s Jenni Brien pushed the Australian all the way though, with the fight only decided by golden score.

Former world champion Graeme Randall (SCO) powered his way to the Men’s 81kg gold, but he was pushed hard in the final game by up-and-coming English youngster Thomas Cousins.

Karen Roberts became the first English medallist of the evening with an impressive performance to defeat Sarah Clark from Scotland in the Women’s 63kg. The bronzes in that category were won by Claire Sscourfield (WAL) and Bilkisu Yusuf (NGR).

But the most dramatic moment of the evening was saved until last. England captain Winston Gordon won a controversial decision with just seconds left on the clock to take gold in the Men’s 90kg ahead of Keith Morgan from Canada.

Info News Service/tb/jdc