China's hope for another judo Olympic gold was smashed as top favorite Sun Fuming lost to Cuban Dayma Beltran on Ippon in the women's over 78kg semifinal Saturday afternoon.

Sun, 30, the gold medalist in over 72kg category at the Atlanta Olympics and the champion of the over 78kg at the 2003 Osaka worlds, kept silent after the duel and walked away quickly in disappointment.

China's Xian Dongmei, who was not a favorite for any medal, took the women's 52kg gold at the Athens Olympics on Sunday. That was the only gold for the Chinese judo team as the three favorites Liu Yuxiang, Liu Xia and Sun Fuming tumbled in their respective categories.

Beltran, 32, who was beaten by Chinese famous judoka Yuan Hua in the final at the Sydney Olympics, took a revenge on Yuan's substitute Sun today.

The Cuban attacked fiercely from the very beginning of the semifinal and captured a chance to knock down Sun on her back.

(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2004)