SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- The trip from world champion to Olympic champion was a long one for Japan's Ryoko Tamura.

 Tamura, four times a judo world titlest, won the gold Saturday night in the women's 48kg, defeating Lioubov Brouletova of Russia in the championship match.

 Ann Simons of Belgium and Anna-Maria Gradante of Germany shared the bronze.

 Tadahiro Nomura completed a Japanese sweep on the first day of judo competition with a victory over South Korea's Jung Bu-kyung. Manolo Poulot of Cuba and Aidyn Smagulov of Kyrgyzstan shared the bronze medal.

 The victory by Nomura, the 1997 world champion, helped Japan avenge its loss at last year's world championships.

 Tamura won a silver medal at the 1992 Barcelona Games and then went on an 84-match winning streak that carried her into the championship match at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.

 But the 4-foot-9 Tamura surprisingly lost to unknown North Korean Kye Sun-hi to again settle for silver.

 Tamura almost didn't even get that far this time: Her first match, against China's Zhao Shunxin, nearly went to a referee's decision. It remained scoreless until Tamura threw Zhao for yuko with two seconds left.

 SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- Results Saturday from the judo competition at the Summer Olympics:

 Men's 60kg
 Bronze Medal Matches
 Manolo Poulot, Cuba, def. Bazarbek Donbay, Kazakstan, Waza-ari, 03:43.
 Aidyn Smagulov, Kyrgyzstan, def. Alisher Mukhtarov, Uzbekistan, Ippon, 02:28.
 Gold Medal Match
 Tadahiro Nomura, Japan, def. Jung Bu-Kyung, South Korea, Ippon, 00:14.
 ------
 Women
 48kg
 Bronze Medal Matches
 Anna-Maria Gradante, Germany, def. Zhao Shunxin, China, Ippon, 00:16.
 Ann Simons, Belgium, def. Cha Hyon Hyang, North Korea, Yusei-Gachi.
 Gold Medal Match
 Ryoko Tamura, Japan, def. Lioubov Brouletova, Russia, Ippon, 00:36.