Today in the history: 29 December

Yvonne Boenisch celebrates her birthday. Boenisch was responsible for a
surprising upset in women's judo. Boenisch of Germany beat North Korea's Kye Sun Hui in the final of the women's 57-kilogram class of the Athens Olympic Games. Boenisch fell to Kye by ippon a year ago in the world final, and her victory came as a surprise.
Kye has won three world titles at three different weights, and has won two other Olympic medals: gold in Atlanta in 1996 at 48kg in 1996 (beating Japanese titan Ryoko Tani), and bronze at under-52kg in 2000.
Boenisch was relentless in this match, leaving Kye no time to settle into the fight, and eventually winning with a small score from a hip throw.
"Of course it is a very special time for my country," Boenisch told reporters. "It was quite scary as I was not sure at all that I would win, but I did."
Boenisch already won the silver in Osaka where she was beaten by Kye. Athens had the same four on the podium as the world championships, but in an other order. Boenisch celebrated the first women’s gold in judo history for Germany.
This year she retired.

Related article:
http://www.eju.net/news/?mode=showNewsItem&id=180