Brazilians celebrated in the stands after Rafaela Silva won gold in women’s judo at the Rio Games claiming the first Olympic gold medal for the host country and capping a journey to the podium that began in one of the city’s most notorious slums.

Silva raised her arms in triumph as she overcame top seed Sumiya Dorjsuren of Mongolia, following a pulsating semi-finals victory that went into extra time against London silver medalist Corina Caprioriu of Romania.

Gold for Silva marks a fairytale ascent to the Olympic podium from a childhood in Rio’s Cidade de Deus favela, made famous in the film “City of God.” Silva’s medal, in the -57kg weight class, was also Brazil’s first in judo at Rio after strong contenders from its team were eliminated in the first two days of action.

Brazil is placing high hopes on its judo team to boost its medal haul in Rio after it took home four in the sport at the 2012 London Games. Japan’s Kaori Matsumoto, world champion and London gold medalist, was stunned in the semi-finals and went on to settle for bronze.