Sydney Olympics gold medalist Ryoko Tamura, who will make a bid for her sixth victory at the 2003 World Judo Championships in Osaka in September, has been hospitalized after injuring her left foot, judo sources said Saturday.

According to women's judo head coach Kazuo Yoshimura, Tamura complained of pain in her left ankle in June while training at a facility in Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture. Tamura continued to train on her bad foot, resulting in swelling and a festering cut on her big toe. Doctors have removed pus from the wound at a Tokyo hospital and have put her on an intravenous drip.

If all goes well, she should be released from the hospital in about a week. The injury will not affect her appearance at the World Judo Championships at Osakajo Hall but she could fall slightly behind in her training for the Sept. 11-14 meet, sources said.