152 articles
Shinobu Sekine
Shinobu Sekine (関根 忍), Japanese judoka, 1972 Munich Olympic gold medalist in men's middleweight (-80 kg), 1972 All Japan open-weight champion, 1971 world open-class bronze medalist, Kodokan 9th dan; died 2018.
Shirine Boukli
Shirine Boukli is a French −48 kg judoka, born in 1999 in Aramon, who won individual bronze and mixed-team gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics and holds five European titles.
Shota Khabareli
Shota Khabareli (შოთა ხაბარელი), born 1958, Georgian judoka for the USSR; Olympic gold in half-middleweight (−78 kg) at Moscow 1980, world bronze 1983, namesake of the obi tori gaeshi throw called the "Khabareli," later Georgian national coach and member of parliament.
Sibelis Veranes
Sibelis Veranes (Sibelis Veranes Morell, born 1974, Santiago de Cuba) is a Cuban judoka, 1999 World champion and 2000 Sydney Olympic gold medalist in women's middleweight (≤70 kg), beating Kate Howey in the final.
Song Dae Nam
Song Dae Nam (송대남), born 1979, is a South Korean judoka, 2012 London Olympic gold medalist in men's -90 kg, winning the final against Cuba's Asley González in golden score.
Sun Fuming
Sun Fuming (孙福明, born 1974, Tieling, Liaoning) is a Chinese heavyweight judoka; Olympic gold at +72 kg in Atlanta 1996, bronze at +78 kg in Athens 2004, and world champion at Osaka 2003.
Tadahiro Nomura
Tadahiro Nomura (野村忠宏), Japanese judoka born 1974 in Nara; won three consecutive Olympic −60 kg golds (1996, 2000, 2004), the first judoka with three Olympic titles, plus 1997 world title; retired 2015.
Tagir Khaybulayev
Tagir Khaybulayev (Тагир Хайбулаев), born 1984 in Kizilyurt, Dagestan, is a Russian judoka, Yavara-Neva St. Petersburg club, who won Olympic gold at London 2012 and the 2011 Paris world title in the under-100 kg half-heavyweight division.
Takanori Nagase
Takanori Nagase (永瀬 貴規), Japanese judoka born 1993 in Nagasaki, -81 kg. Two-time Olympic champion (Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024), first to win consecutive 81 kg titles; 2015 world champion, Asahi Kasei athlete.
Takao Kawaguchi
Takao Kawaguchi (川口孝夫), born 1950 in Hiroshima, Japanese judoka, 1971 world champion and 1972 Munich Olympic gold medalist in men's lightweight (≤63 kg); silver at the 1973 Lausanne Worlds.
Takehide Nakatani
Takehide Nakatani (中谷雄英), born 1941 in Hiroshima, Japanese judoka, first ever Olympic judo champion, winning men's lightweight (≤68 kg) gold at Tokyo 1964; later 1967 world bronze medalist.
Teddy Riner
Teddy Riner, born 1989 in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, is a French +100 kg judoka with a record 11 world titles and 5 Olympic golds among 7 Olympic medals, plus a 152-bout winning streak.
Thierry Rey
Thierry Rey, born 1959 in Veurne (Furnes), Belgium, is a French judoka, Olympic champion -60 kg Moscow 1980 and world champion 1979 Paris; later IJF Hall of Fame member, Canal+ commentator, and sports advisor.
Tina Trstenjak
Tina Trstenjak, Slovenian judoka (born 1990, Celje), Olympic gold Rio 2016 and silver Tokyo 2020 at -63 kg, 2015 world champion; later referee and holder of all seven Kodokan kata certificates.
Tong Wen
Tong Wen (佟文), Chinese judoka born 1983 in Tianjin, +78 kg. Olympic gold 2008, bronze 2012; seven world titles 2003-2011, joint female record with Ryoko Tani; 2010 clenbuterol ban overturned by CAS.
Toshihiko Koga
Toshihiko Koga (古賀 稔彦, 1967–2021), Japanese judoka nicknamed Heisei no Sanshiro; 1992 Barcelona Olympic -71 kg gold medalist, 1996 Atlanta silver, three-time world champion famed for his standing ippon-seoi-nage; later coach and Kodokan 9th dan.
Toyokazu Nomura
Toyokazu Nomura (野村豊和), born in 1949, is a Japanese judoka who won the half-middleweight gold at the 1972 Munich Olympics and the 1973 world title, and is the uncle of Tadahiro Nomura.
Udo Quellmalz
Udo Quellmalz is a German judoka who won Olympic gold in the half-lightweight class at Atlanta 1996 after Barcelona 1992 bronze, then became an international coach.
Urska Zolnir
Urška Žolnir Jugovar (born 1981, Žalec) is a Slovenian judoka, -63 kg half-middleweight. Olympic gold London 2012, first individual women's gold for Slovenia; bronze Athens 2004; European champion 2009.
Uta Abe
Uta Abe (阿部 詩), born 2000 in Kobe, is a Japanese judoka, −52 kg half-lightweight: Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion, sister of Hifumi Abe, record 12 women's Grand Slam titles, six world golds by 2026.
Vladimir Nevzorov
Vladimir Nevzorov (Владимир Михайлович Невзоров), born 1952 in Maykop, Soviet judoka and sambo competitor; first Soviet world judo champion (Vienna 1975) and 1976 Montreal Olympic gold medalist at -70 kg.
Walide Khyar
Walide Khyar (born 1995, Bondy) is a French judoka, −66 kg, Olympic mixed-team champion at Paris 2024, European champion 2016 at −60 kg, world bronze medallist 2023, and Abu Dhabi Grand Slam winner 2025.
Xian Dongmei
Xian Dongmei (冼东妹), born 1975 in Sihui, Guangdong, is a Chinese judoka who won Olympic gold in the women's 52 kg half-lightweight division at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, later leading the Chinese Judo Association.
Yang Xiuli
Yang Xiuli (杨秀丽), Chinese judoka born 1983 in Fuxin, Liaoning; 2008 Beijing Olympic gold medalist in women's −78 kg judo, later national team coach and Chengdu Sport University PhD.
Yasuhiro Yamashita
Yasuhiro Yamashita (山下泰裕), Japanese judoka born 1957, 1984 Los Angeles Olympic open-class gold medalist, Guinness record 203 consecutive wins 1977–1985, later JOC president and IOC member.
Yeldos Smetov
Yeldos Smetov is a Kazakh judoka, born 1992 in Taraz, who competes up to 60 kg and holds Olympic gold (2024), silver (2016), and bronze (2020).
Yoshiyuki Matsuoka
Yoshiyuki Matsuoka (松岡義之), born 1957 in Hyogo, Japanese judoka; Olympic gold, men's -65 kg, Los Angeles 1984; world silver 1983 and bronze 1985; later General Manager of the Komatsu women's judo team.
Yuan Hua
Yuan Hua (袁华), Chinese judoka born 1974 in Liaoyang, Liaoning; won women's +78 kg gold at Sydney 2000 Olympics and 2001 World Championships, plus 1998 Asian Games and Universiade titles.
Yuko Emoto
Yuko Emoto (惠本裕子), born 1972 in Asahikawa, is a Japanese judoka who won gold in women's half-middleweight −61 kg at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, took 1994 Asian Games silver, and later authored the manga JJM: Women's Judo Club Story.
Yvonne Bonisch
Yvonne Bönisch (Snir-Bönisch), German judoka born 1980 in Ludwigsfelde, won 2004 Athens Olympic gold at 57 kg, the first for a German woman in judo; now head coach of Austria's national team.