Judo at the 1988 Seoul Olympics introduced women's judo as a demonstration sport and saw the first judoka defend Olympic gold across two Games.
Key Facts
- Weight classes contested
- Seven weight classes
- Open division
- Eliminated from competition
- Women's judo status
- Demonstration sport (first Olympic appearance)
- Top medal nation
- South Korea (ahead of Poland and Japan)
- Two-time Olympic gold winners
- Peter Seisenbacher and Hitoshi Saito
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Building on the format established at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, the 1988 Seoul Games retained seven weight categories in men's judo while removing the open division. Growing international interest in women's judo prompted organizers to include it as a demonstration sport for the first time.
The judo competition at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul featured seven men's weight classes. Women's judo debuted as a demonstration event. Peter Seisenbacher of Austria and Hitoshi Saito of Japan each defended their 1984 gold medals, becoming the first judoka to win gold at two consecutive Olympics.
South Korea topped the judo medal count, marking the first time Japan failed to lead the tally at an Olympics in which they competed. The inclusion of women's judo as a demonstration sport paved the way for its full Olympic status at the 1992 Barcelona Games.
Result
at Jangchung Gymnasium, Seoul