Saori Yoshida continued her legend with a perfect defense of her women's freestyle 55kg wrestling title at the Beijing Olympics here on Saturday.

Having swept three fights on Saturday without dropping a bout, the Japanese dominated the final, leaving host wrestler Xu Li no chance and winning the two-bout competition 2-0, 5-0.

"Gold tastes great!" said Yoshida. "It is quite a pleasure to enjoy the victory."

The 25-year-old had an undefeated record of 119 matches ended by American Marcie van Dusen in the World Cup in Taiyuan, China, in March this year.

"I just can't forget the loss to van Dusen. That's the only one in my whole career," said Yoshida. "That defeat left a shadow over my heart and it forced me to keep hard training."

Yoshida took out the bronze medal she won in March's World Cup, comparing it with the gold she just won.

"I took the bronze with me to remind myself that I will never lose again," she said.

Coached by her father, a former national champion, Yoshida became a wrestling superstar in Japan since she was young. She jumped to fame in 1998 by winning her first world title.

Her mother led a 30-member group of relatives and friends to cheer for Yoshida, all wearing orange T-shirts with Yoshida's name on the back.

While seeing Yoshida holding the gold, her mother burst into tears.

"I consider wrestling as my everything," said Yoshida. "I think I can create a new winning record."

(Xinhua News Agency August 16, 2008)