Shih Hsin of Chinese Taipei (right) competes with Yanelis Yuliet Labrada Diaz of Cuba in in the women's under 49 kg Taekwondo gold medal match on Aug. 26, 2004. Courtesy Getty Images

ATHENS, Greece — Chinese Taipei swept the two gold medals at stake here Aug. 26 on the opening day of the four-day taekwondo competition at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

In the women's under 49 kg final, Chen Shih Hsin of Chinese Taipei brushed aside the stiff challenge from Cuba's Yanelis Yuliet Labrada Diaz on points 5-4 to give her country the first gold medal at the Athens Olympics.

Chen advanced to the final by beating Canadian Ivett Gonda. The bronze medal in the category went to Thailand's Yaowapa Boorapolchai as she defeated Colombian Gladys Alicia Mora Romero on points 2-1.

In the men's under 58kg final match, Chinese Taipei's Chu Mu Yen crushed Mexican Oscar Francisco Salazar Blanco on points 5-1 to clinch the gold, earning his country the second gold medal at the Athens Olympics.

Chu reached the final as he downed Egyptian Tamer Bayoumi on points. In the quarterfinals, Chu crushed Juan Ramos of Spain on points.

Mu Yen Chu of Chinese Taipei jumps out of the way of Oscar Francisco Salazar Blanco of Mexico in the men's under 58 kg Taekwondo gold medal match at the Sports Pavilion part of the Faliro Coastal Zone Olympic Complex on Aug. 26, 2004. Courtesy Getty Images

Bayoumi won the bronze medal in the men's category as he defeated Spanish Ramos 7-1 in the men's repechage final.

Eight gold medals are at stake in the taekwondo competition at the Athens Olympics, which will run through Aug. 29. Taekwondo, a traditional Korean martial art, debuted as an Olympic sport at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.