Carmen lost to China's Li Liqing by ippon in the women’s under 48 kilograms category, while Ramona’s defence of her women's under 52kg crown was ended by France’s Sandrine Martinet by waza-ari.

The sisters had identified their respective opponents in their finals as their biggest dangers.

"It was a very hard competition, harder than the World Championships, even harder than London 2012," Carmen said. 

"It's fair to get the silver medal. 

"It was a very tough match, but I'm happy with what I've got."

A delighted Martinet, who had her young son in the crowd watching her compete, claimed she changes from a mother to a warrior on the mat. 

"It is true," she said.

"I work on that mentally to make this happen."

Turkey’s Ecem Tasin and Ukraine’s Yuliya Halinska claimed the women’s under 48kg bronze medals at the expense of Chinese Taipei’s Kai-Lin Lee and Japan’s Shizuka Hangai.

Algeria’s Cherine Abdellaoui beat home favourite Michele Aparecida Ferreira in the first women’s under 52kg bronze medal contest before Uzbekistan’s Sevinch Salaeva saw off the challenge of Canada’s Priscilla Gagne. 

On the men’s side of proceedings, there was a double success for Uzbekistan as Sherzod Namozov beat Japan’s Makoto Hirose in the under 60kg final and Utkirjon Nigmatov got the better of Azerbaijan’s Bayram Mustafayev in the under 66kg gold medal match.

Romania’s Alex Bologa defeated Uruguay’s Henry Borges to win men’s under 60kg bronze and was joined on the third step of the podium by Mongolia’s Uugankhuu Bolormaa, who proved too strong for London 2012 gold medallist Ramin Ibrahimov of Azerbaijan.

Ukraine’s Davyd Khorava, the defending men’s under 66kg champion, beat South Korea’s Jongseok Park for a share of third place with Japan’s Satoshi Fujimoto, a narrow victor over Lithuania’s Osvaldas Bareikis.

Rio 2016 Paralympic judo action is due to continue tomorrow with the men’s under 73kg and under 81kg categories, and the women’s under 57kg and under 63kg classes.