Olympic champion Ryoko Tani was made to work hard to beat 48-kg rival Kayo Kitada on Sunday to win her third straight title and 14th overall at the national invitational weight-class championships in women's judo.
Tani, who claimed her second straight Olympic gold medal in Athens last summer, was awarded victory over Kitada on a decisive point 27 seconds into overtime in the final of their weight category at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium.