It was logical that four asian countries (Japan, Korea, Laos and Malaysia) should be the judo finalists, but I couldn’t learn the relative standings.

A reporter told me “Laos won silver, and/or Malaysia won bronze.” Other reporter added “Japan won gold, and/or Korea won bronze.” A third one added “Laos won gold, and/or Japan won silver.”

I couldn’t make heads or tails out of this, until I remembered that in judo, two bronze medals are awarded. Which were the standings?

Only Malaysia and Korea are listed as possibly winning the bronze medals, Therefore, these two countries must have won the bronze medals.  This leaves the gold and silver medals to Japan and Laos.  Laos could not have won the silver because it would have conflicted with the third reporter's statement of, "Laos won gold, and/or Japan won silver."  This leaves Japan as the only possible winner of the silver and therefore, Laos is left with Gold. 

Laos= Gold
Japan= Silver
Korea & Malaysia= Bronze 

Posted by Diana on 2004-09-02 00:44:56