Quintavalle wins women's 57kg judo

Beijing: Italy's Giulia Quintavalle was a shock winner of the women's -57kg judo category at the Beijing Olympic Games on Monday.

Quintavalle emerged triumphant from a division that saw all its leading lights fall by the wayside early on.

The Italian, who has never before even medalled at European level, edged out Deborah Gravenstijn of the Netherlands in the final by a small yuko score from an osoto-gari (major outer sweep) throw.

Completing a podium that no-one could have imagined at the start of the day were bronze medallists Ketleyn Quadros of Brazil and Xu Yan of China, neither of whom had ever before challenged for medals at the top level.