Venezuelan judokas win gold, bronze medals at Beijing Paralympics

Source: Xinhua | 09-09-2008 09:50

CARACAS, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan private and state media hailed on Monday the performance of Venezuelan judokas who won gold and bronze medals at the Beijing Paralympic Games.

Judoka Naomi Suazo won the first Paralympic gold medal for Venezuela in the 63 kg category in an overwhelming way.

"This way, Venezuela is full of joy thanks to the judoka who obtained for her country the first gold in the Paralympic Games of Beijing 2008," the Communication and Information Ministry (Minci) told the local media on Monday.

Venezuelan flag bearer Reinaldo Carvallo also won a bronze medal in judo.

Suazo, 19, with visual deficiency B3 category, surpassed Chinese Qian Zhou in the first combat and in semifinals she beat Swedish Elvira Kivi.

Suazo's most recent success was a bronze medal at the World Games for the Blind and Visual Deficient.

Carvallo has previously won a bronze in the 81 kg category. With a B3 visual deficiency he beat Ukranian Oleksandr Pominov in the first combat and then beat Italian Mateo Ardit.

Carvallo then was beaten by French Cyril Jonard in semifinals but on his second chance for the bronze he beat Japanese Kenji Oga.

Media also hailed runner Arbelis Torres' performance who classified in the women's 100m, T11 category (total blindness) with 13.09 seconds.

Editor:Xiong Qu