| | Event type
Extra-Lightweight (≤48 kilograms), Women
| Date | 16 September 2000 — 15:00-18:30-20:30-22:00 | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Olympic | |
| Location | Sydney Exhibition Centre, Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Sydney, New South Wales (Hall 1 & 2) | |
| Participants | 23 from 23 countries | |
| Format | Two single-elimination pools, with winner of each pool advanced to the final. All judoka losing to the finalists in each pool advanced to repêchage pools, with the winners of the repêchage pools earning bronze medals. | |
Ryoko Tamura (JPN) was an overwhelming favorite. She had lost the 1992 Olympic final, but since then had lost only one international match – unfortunately that was also the Olympic final in 1996. In this class she would be World Champion seven times – 1993-2007, and was expected to finally win her Olympic gold medal. She made it to the final relatively easily, winning one match by decision. In the final she met Russian Lyubov Bruletova, the 1999 European runner-up. But it was no contest, Tamura winning by ippon in 36 seconds. Tamura would return in 2004 and defend her gold medal, in addition to continuing to win World titles.
Pool A (16 September 2000)
Round One (16 September 2000)
| Match #1 | Zhao Shunxin |  CHN | Waza-ari/Uchi-makikomi (4:00) | Tania Tallie |  RSA |
| Match #2 | Liudmyla Lusnikova |  UKR | Koka/Seoi-nage (4:00) | Lauren Meece |  USA |
| Match #3 | Adriana Ángeles |  MEX | Ippon/O-uchi-gari (2:03) | Maarit Kallio |  FIN |
| Match #4 | Cha Hyon-Hyang |  PRK | Ippon/Seukui-nage (0:23) | Sarah Nichilo-Rosso |  FRA |
Quarter-Finals (16 September 2000)
| Match #1 | Ryoko Tamura |  JPN | Yuko/Ura-nage (4:00) | Zhao Shunxin | CHN |
| Match #2 | Liudmyla Lusnikova | UKR | Koka/Shido/Yusei-gachi (4:00) | Neşe Şensoy |  TUR |
| Match #3 | Vanesa Arenas |  ESP | Yuko (2)/Uchi-mata-makikomi (4:00) | Adriana Ángeles | MEX |
| Match #4 | Cha Hyon-Hyang | PRK | Yuko/Tani-otoshi (4:00) | Galina Atayeva |  TKM |
Semi-Finals (16 September 2000)
| Match #1 | Ryoko Tamura | JPN | Ippon/Harai-goshi (2:25) | Liudmyla Lusnikova | UKR |
| Match #2 | Cha Hyon-Hyang | PRK | Yuko/O-uchi-gari (4:00) | Vanesa Arenas | ESP |
Final Round (16 September 2000)
| Match #1 | Ryoko Tamura | JPN | Yuko/Chui/Yusei-gachi (4:00) | Cha Hyon-Hyang | PRK |
Repêchage (16 September 2000)
| Match #1 | Zhao Shunxin | CHN | Yuko/O-soto-gari (4:00) | Liudmyla Lusnikova | UKR |
| Match #2 | Sarah Nichilo-Rosso | FRA | Ippon/Uchi-mata (1:02) | Galina Atayeva | TKM |
| Match #3 | Sarah Nichilo-Rosso | FRA | Ippon/Juji-gatame (1:47) | Vanesa Arenas | ESP |
| Match #4 | Zhao Shunxin | CHN | Ippon/Uchi-mata-gaeshi (2:42) | Sarah Nichilo-Rosso | FRA |
| Match 3/4 | Anna-Maria Gradante |  GER | Ippon/Kuchiki-taoshi (0:16) | Zhao Shunxin | CHN |
Pool B (16 September 2000)
Round One (16 September 2000)
| Match #1 | Laura Moise |  ROU | Ippon/Seukui-nage (0:25) | Park Seong-Ja |  KOR |
| Match #2 | Vicki Dunn |  GBR | Yuko/Tai-otoshisae-komi-waza (4:00) | Nataliya Kuligina |  KGZ |
| Match #3 | Ann Simons |  BEL | Yuko/Tani-otoshi (4:00) | Hayet Rouini |  TUN |
Quarter-Finals (16 September 2000)
| Match #1 | Amarilis Savón |  CUB | Yuko (4:00) | Laura Moise | ROU |
| Match #2 | Lyubov Bruletova |  RUS | Ippon/O-uchi-gari (0:31) | Vicki Dunn | GBR |
| Match #3 | Anna-Maria Gradante | GER | Yuko/Tsuri-komi-goshi (4:00) | Mariana Martins |  BRA |
| Match #4 | Ann Simons | BEL | Waza-ari/Tani-otoshi (4:00) | Jenny Hill |  AUS |
Semi-Finals (16 September 2000)
| Match #1 | Lyubov Bruletova | RUS | Yuko/Uchi-makikomi (4:00) | Amarilis Savón | CUB |
| Match #2 | Anna-Maria Gradante | GER | Koka/Shido/Yusei-gachi (4:00) | Ann Simons | BEL |
Final Round (16 September 2000)
| Match #1 | Lyubov Bruletova | RUS | Ippon/Ude-garami (3:26) | Anna-Maria Gradante | GER |
Repêchage (16 September 2000)
| Match #1 | Amarilis Savón | CUB | Waza-ari awasete Ippon/Kesa-gatame (3:29) | Vicki Dunn | GBR |
| Match #2 | Ann Simons | BEL | Yuko/O-uchi-gari (4:00) | Mariana Martins | BRA |
| Match #3 | Ann Simons | BEL | Waza-ari/O-goshi (4:00) | Amarilis Savón | CUB |
| Match 3/4 | Ann Simons | BEL | Yuko/Tani-otoshi (4:00) | Cha Hyon-Hyang | PRK |
Final Round (16 September 2000)
| Match 1/2 | Ryoko Tamura | JPN | Ippon/Uchi-mata (0:36) | Lyubov Bruletova | RUS |