Harrison wins first U.S. judo gold

Kayla Harrison of the U.S. reacts after defeating Brazil's Mayra Aguiar (white) in their women's -78kg semi-final A judo match at the London 2012 Olympic Games August 2, 2012.

LONDON (Reuters) - Kayla Harrison, who contemplated suicide after being sexually abused by her childhood coach, beat Britain's Gemma Gibbons in the women's -78kg category on Thursday to win the first Olympic judo gold for the United States.

Harrison, 22, the world number two, defeated Gibbons in a close final with two scoring throws.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, who was in the audience with Russian President Vladimir Putin, commiserated with Gibbons, Britain's first judo medal winner since Sydney in 2000, as she left the mat.

Audrey Tcheumeo won France's sixth judo medal of the Games By defeating Abigel Joo of Hungary for bronze.

Brazil's Mayra Aguiar also continued her country's judo successes, beating Marhinde Verkerk of the Netherlands to take the other bronze, the Brazilian team's third judo medal.

(Reporting by Michael Holden, editing by Ed Osmond)