BEIJING, August 11, 2008 (AFP) - Quadruple world judo champion Kye Sun-Hui's quest for a second Olympic gold in judo both for herself and North Korea ended in disappointment on a day of upsets on the tatami in Beijing here Monday.

But the trail she has blazed as North Korea's first-ever Olympic and world titlist went on at the Beijing Games with her team-mates bagging a silver and a bronze after three days of the week-long competition.

Kye was downed by France's European champion Barbara Harel with a leg grab in the second round. Harel's subsequent quarter-final defeat meant the North Korean was denied a chance to fight through the consolation round for bronze.

The 29-year-old sporting heroine in the communist state kept quiet, her face showing no emotion, when she passed through the mixed zone for media interviews.

Her loss could have drawn a curtain on the career of Kye, who stunned the world at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics when she beat hot favourite Ryoko Tani (then Tamura) of Japan in the -48kg final in her first international competition.

At 16, she was the youngest Olympic judo gold medallist.

The most medalled North Korean has remained silent in front of the media here. But she earlier told reporters in Pyongyang that she had only gold medal on her mind and that the title 'would be more valuable than those I have ever gained before'.

Neither Kye nor North Korea have struck gold since Atlanta. She has stepped up to higher weights, taking the -52kg bronze at the Sydney Games in 2000 and silver in the -57kg class in Athens four years ago.

Kye has been more successful at the world championship level, triumphing in the -52kg in 2001 before winning three consecutive -57kg titles -- the only judo golds ever won in that event by North Korea.

Behind Tani, she is one of the most successful women fighters in the history of judo.

In Beijing, An Kum-Ae took the silver in the women's -52kg on Sunday, losing to China's defending champion Xian Dongmei.

'Although the Chinese athlete is strong, I tried my best,' said An, 28, the world bronze medallist in 2005 and 2007, adding that she wanted to share the honour with her compatriots because 'they are the most important people for me.'

On Sunday, Pakistan Chol-Min also collected a bronze medal in the men's -66kg event won by Japan's defending champion Masato Uchishiba.

'This time I didn't get into the final. But becasue of the expectations of the people in our republic, I will train even harder for next time,' said Pakistan, 25, ninth at the 2007 worlds.

Two more North Koreans were to compete in Olympic judo on Tuesday with little medal hopes.

North Korea has targeted at least 10 medals here before the communist state's 60th birthday next month.

Since North Korea first took part in the Summer Olympics in 1972, its most successful performance was at the 1992 Barcelona Games when it won nine medals, including four golds.