1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites

Yvonne Bönisch Grabs Judo Gold

September 3, 2004

After the disappointment of losing to the 1996 Olympic champion earlier this year, Germany's Yvonne Bönisch exacted sweet revenge by taking Kye Sun Hui's title from her in Athens.

https://p.dw.com/p/5Weh
23-year-old Yvonne Bönisch won an unexpected gold medal
Judo star Yvonne Bönisch has won the first gold medal for the German team in Athens. The 23-year-old from Potsdam defeated Olympic title holder North Korean Kye Sun Hui in the final of the 57 kg category. After the bronze won by Julia Matijass, Bönsich's gold is the second medal overall for the German judo team. It was also the first ever gold medal for a German woman in the event and only the fourth overall. The last was won by Udo Quellmalz in Atlanta in 1996.

Bönsich overcame the eventual bronze medalist Deborah Gravenstejn from the Netherlands, who beat Cuban Yurisleidis Lupetey in the third placed match, in the semi-final to set-up a rematch against Kye who beat her in the World Championships in Osaka earlier in the year. Bönisch had to forfeit her match against the North Korean then because of an arm injury against the Atlanta champion. Revenge is now hers.