BEIJING, Aug 10: Multiple world judo champion Kye Sun-Hui aims to end a 12-year Olympic gold-medal drought for North Korea and herself when she competes in the women’s -57kg lightweight contest on Monday.

In the men’s -73kg division, South Korea’s 19-year-old sensation Wang Ki-Chun will be looking to add Olympic gold to the world title he won last year, making the third day of the Beijing Games judo tournament an all-Korean affair.

Kye burst into international judo by beating Japan’s Ryoko Tani, then Tamura, in the -48kg final at the 1996 Atlana Olympics but has stepped up to settle for -52kg bronze in Sydney and -57kg silver in Athens.

The 29-year-old sport heroine from the communist state has been more successful at the world championships, triumphing in the -52kg in 2001 before winning three consecutive -57kg titles.

But Kye, feared for her powerful hip and leg throws as well as quick counterattacks, faces a tough start against European champion Sabrina Filzmoser of Austria, who also won the blue-riband Paris tournament this year.

In the other half of the draw, Spanish veteran Isabel Fernandez, who lost to Kye in the 2007 world final, is bunched with world bronze winner Aiko Sato of Japan and China’s Xu Yan, who finished third in Paris.

Fernandez admitted it was tough to beat Kye.

“I have fought her three times and I’ve lost three times,” the 36-year-old said.

In the men’s tournament, Wang has been given a favourable draw with his potential contenders separated into the other block.

Elnur Mammadli of Azerbaijian, the final loser to Wang at the Rio de Janeiro World Championships last September, clashes with European champion Dirk van Tichelt of Belgium in his first match.

Japan’s Yusuke Kanamaru, who beat van Tichelt in Rio, and European bronze medallist David Kevkhishvili of Georgia are also in the same block.

“It doesn’t matter who I fight, I will try to win,” Wang said. “My strength is endurance and a spirit of never giving up.

“This is my first Olympics, so I just want to win,” he said, adding that he expects Kanamaru to be his final opponent.—AFP