Ortiz wins women's over 78K Olympic judo gold

LONDON (AP) - Idalys Ortiz of Cuba won the women's over 78-kilogram Olympic judo gold on Friday, improving on the bronze she won at the Beijing Games.

Ortiz defeated Mika Sugimoto of Japan in a cagey, drawn-out final with little action, where both fighters struggled to get a grip or catch the other off balance.

The match went into overtime and judges eventually ruled Ortiz the winner.

Earlier in the day, Ortiz triumphed over the competition's top-seeded competitor, Wen Tong of China, in the semifinals.

Tong was the defending Olympic champion and was unbeaten at international competitions since 2007. She later won a bronze in the repechage. The other bronze medal was won by Britain's Karina Bryant.