Half-Lightweight (≤52 kilograms), Women

The 1993 World Champion, Legna Verdecia of Cuba, was expected to win again in 1995, but lost in the pool final to unknown Frenchwoman Marie-Claire Restoux. In Atlanta Restoux was no longer unknown. She made it to the final easily where she faced Korea’s Hyeon Suk-Hui, who had twice defeated her earlier in the year, was the 1993 Asian Champion, and had won the 1994 Asian Games gold medal. The final was relatively close, but Restoux won the gold medal by yuko. She would return in 1997 to again win the World Championships, with Hyeon winning a bronze medal at that event. Hyeon later became an international judo referee and judo coach.