Half-Lightweight (≤52 kilograms), Women

At the 1986 and 1987 World Championships, France’s Dominique Brun and Great Britain’s Sharon Rendle had both won a gold and bronze medal, Brun winning gold in 1986 and Rendle in 1987. Also considered a challenger was Japan’s Kaori Yamaguchi, who was silver medalist in this class at the World Championships in 1980, 1982, 1986, and 1987, and who had won the title in 1984. Brun and Yamaguchi met in the final of the A Pool, with Brun winning by koka, while Rendle advanced easily through the B Pool. Thus the final matched the last two world champions and in a closely fought match, Rendle triumphed by yusei-gachi. She then broke judo protocol by racing off the mat and throwing herself into the arms of her foster parents. Rendle would return in 1992 at Barcelona to win a bronze medal, and she was again world champion in 1989. Yamaguchi held on to make the podium by winning her pool repêchage.