Carol Huynh won Canada the first gold at the Beijing Olympics here on Saturday, beating Chiharu Icho of Japan in the final of women's freestyle 48kg final.

Huynk overwhelmed her rival in the comfortable victory of two bouts, stunning thousands of Japanese spectators who planned to witness Icho's win after she got a silver in the Athens Games four years ago.

Huynh, 28, won Canada's first-ever wrestling Olympic gold and its first at Beijing Olympics. She cried after the victory ceremony.

European champion Mariya Stadnik of Azerbaijan and 2004 Athens champion Irini Merleni of Ukraine finished joint third.

(Xinhua News Agency August 16, 2008)