| | Event type

Half-Heavyweight (≤78 kilograms), Women

Date	2 August 2012
Status	Olympic
Location	ExCeL, Newham, London (Hall 2)
Participants	21 from 21 countries
Format	Losing quarter-finalists compete against losing semi-finalist for bronze.

Prior to this event, the United States had won 11 Olympic judo medals, but never a gold. The US entrant was Kayla Harrison, World Junior Champion in 2008 and World Champion in 2010. Harrison defeated top seed Mayra Silva (BRA) in the semi-finals, after beating European Champion Abigel Joo (HUN) in the quarters. In the other half of the draw, Britain’s Gemma Gibbons was given little chance, ranking 42nd in the world prior to the Olympics, and only qualifying as a host country entry, but she stunned in the semi-finals by defeating reigning World Champion Audrey Tcheumeo of France, with a golden score in extra-time.

The final was close but Harrison won the first ever judo gold for the United States, scoring a yuko early and another one in the last minute for the win. The bronze medals went to Tcheumeo and Aguiar. The defending champion Yang Xilu of China lost in the repêchage, beaten by Dutch judoka Marhinde Verkerk.

Pos	Competitor	NOC
1	Kayla Harrison	USA	Gold
2	Gemma Gibbons	GBR	Silver
=3	Audrey Tcheuméo	FRA	Bronze
=3	Mayra Aguiar	BRA	Bronze
=5	Abigél Joó	HUN
=5	Marhinde Verkerk	NED
=7	Daria Pogorzelec	POL
=7	Yang Xiuli	CHN
=9	Hana Mareghni	TUN
=9	Heide Wollert	GER
=9	Vera Moskalyuk	RUS
=9	Audrey Koumba	GAB
=9	Akari Ogata	JPN
=9	Pürevjargalyn Lkhamdegd	MGL
=9	Maryna Pryshchepa	UKR
=9	Aung Aye Aye	MYA
=17	Ana Velenšek	SLO
=17	Odette Ntahomvukiye	BDI
=17	Jeong Gyeong-Mi	KOR
=17	Yahima Ramirez	POR
=17	Amy Cotton	CAN

Round One

Date	2 August 2012 — 10:19

Match	Date/Time	Location	Competitor	NOC	Result	Competitor	NOC
Match #1	02 Aug	Hall 2	Mayra Aguiar	BRA				bye
Match #2	02 Aug	Hall 2	Hana Mareghni	TUN				bye
Match #3	02 Aug	Hall 2	Heide Wollert	GER				bye
Match #4	02 Aug 10:19	Hall 2	Daria Pogorzelec	POL	Yuko	Ana Velenšek	SLO
Match #5	02 Aug	Hall 2	Kayla Harrison	USA				bye
Match #6	02 Aug	Hall 2	Vera Moskalyuk	RUS				bye
Match #7	02 Aug	Hall 2	Abigél Joó	HUN				bye
Match #8	02 Aug 10:26	Hall 2	Audrey Koumba	GAB	Waza-ari-wasete ippon	Odette Ntahomvukiye	BDI
Match #9	02 Aug 10:19	Hall 2	Akari Ogata	JPN	Yuko	Jeong Gyeong-Mi	KOR
Match #10	02 Aug	Hall 2	Marhinde Verkerk	NED				bye
Match #11	02 Aug	Hall 2	Pürevjargalyn Lkhamdegd	MGL				bye
Match #12	02 Aug 10:26	Hall 2	Gemma Gibbons	GBR	Ippon	Yahima Ramirez	POR
Match #13	02 Aug 10:33	Hall 2	Audrey Tcheuméo	FRA	Yuko	Amy Cotton	CAN
Match #14	02 Aug	Hall 2	Maryna Pryshchepa	UKR				bye
Match #15	02 Aug	Hall 2	Yang Xiuli	CHN				bye
Match #16	02 Aug	Hall 2	Aung Aye Aye	MYA				bye

Round Two

Date	2 August 2012 — 11:01

Match	Date/Time	Location	Competitor	NOC	Result	Competitor	NOC
Match #1	02 Aug 11:01	Hall 2	Mayra Aguiar	BRA	Waza-ari-wasete ippon	Hana Mareghni	TUN
Match #2	02 Aug 11:08	Hall 2	Daria Pogorzelec	POL	Waza-ari-wasete ippon	Heide Wollert	GER
Match #3	02 Aug 11:15	Hall 2	Kayla Harrison	USA	Ippon	Vera Moskalyuk	RUS
Match #4	02 Aug 11:22	Hall 2	Abigél Joó	HUN	Ippon	Audrey Koumba	GAB
Match #5	02 Aug 11:08	Hall 2	Marhinde Verkerk	NED	Waza-ari	Akari Ogata	JPN
Match #6	02 Aug 11:15	Hall 2	Gemma Gibbons	GBR	Yuko	Pürevjargalyn Lkhamdegd	MGL
Match #7	02 Aug 11:22	Hall 2	Audrey Tcheuméo	FRA	Ippon	Maryna Pryshchepa	UKR
Match #8	02 Aug 11:29	Hall 2	Yang Xiuli	CHN	Ippon	Aung Aye Aye	MYA

Quarter-Finals

Date	2 August 2012 — 11:43

Match	Date/Time	Location	Competitor	NOC	Result	Competitor	NOC
Match #1	02 Aug 11:43	Hall 2	Mayra Aguiar	BRA	Waza-ari-wasete ippon	Daria Pogorzelec	POL
Match #2	02 Aug 11:50	Hall 2	Kayla Harrison	USA	Ippon	Abigél Joó	HUN
Match #3	02 Aug 11:50	Hall 2	Gemma Gibbons	GBR	Waza-ari	Marhinde Verkerk	NED
Match #4	02 Aug 11:57	Hall 2	Audrey Tcheuméo	FRA	Waza-ari	Yang Xiuli	CHN

Repêchage

Date	2 August 2012 — 14:00

Match	Date/Time	Location	Competitor	NOC	Result	Competitor	NOC
Match #1	02 Aug 14:00	Hall 2	Abigél Joó	HUN	Ippon	Daria Pogorzelec	POL
Match #2	02 Aug 14:07	Hall 2	Marhinde Verkerk	NED	Yusei-gachi	Yang Xiuli	CHN

Semi-Finals

Date	2 August 2012 — 14:14

Match	Date/Time	Location	Competitor	NOC	Result	Competitor	NOC
Match #1	02 Aug 14:14	Hall 2	Kayla Harrison	USA	Ippon	Mayra Aguiar	BRA
Match #2	02 Aug 14:21	Hall 2	Gemma Gibbons	GBR	Ippon	Audrey Tcheuméo	FRA

Final Round

Date	2 August 2012 — 14:56

Match	Date/Time	Location	Competitor	NOC	Result	Competitor	NOC
Match 3/5	02 Aug 14:56	Hall 2	Audrey Tcheuméo	FRA	Ippon	Abigél Joó	HUN
Match 3/5	02 Aug 15:03	Hall 2	Mayra Aguiar	BRA	Ippon	Marhinde Verkerk	NED
Match 1/2	02 Aug 16:00	Hall 2	Kayla Harrison	USA	Yuko	Gemma Gibbons	GBR