Dr Jigaro Kano, the man behind judo, was a longtime International Olympic Committee (IOC) member. Inspired by the traditional Japanese schools of Yawara and Jujitsu, Kano created Judo. Japan is also the Olympic judo leader, followed by Korea and France.
The wrestling sport debuted at the 1964 Olympics and was consistently present on the Olympic schedule after the 1972 Olympics. An international organization to govern the sport globally was formed in July 1951, the International Judo Federation (IJF).
Japan is leading with 96 total medals, including 48 golds, which is not surprising given that Judo is a Japanese sport. Next, it is followed by France with 57 total and Korea with 46 total, including 16 and 11 gold medals, respectively.
Teddy Riner of France and Tadahiro Nomura of Japan, each with three gold medals, have emerged as the top male Olympic judo medalists. With five medals in all, Riner is the male judoka with the most medals, followed by Angelo Parisi, who has four medals during his time competing for France and Great Britain.
The List of Olympic Medalists of Team USA in Judo
The United States has won a total of 14 Olympic judo medals, including two golds, and is ranked 16th on the all-time medal table, consisting of 56 nations. The USA holds 2 gold medals, 4 silver medals and 8 bronze medals.
Let us take a closer look at the medalists.
The list of Olympic medalists for Team USA in judo is as follows:
| Year | Event | Name(s) | Medal |
| 1964 | Middleweight, Men | Jim Bregman | Bronze |
| 1976 | Heavyweight, Men | Allen Coage | Bronze |
| 1984 | Extra-Lightweight, Men | Ed Liddie | Bronze |
| 1984 | Middleweight, Men | Bob Berland | Silver |
| 1988 | Extra-Lightweight, Men | Kevin Asano | Silver |
| 1988 | Lightweight, Men | Mike Swain | Bronze |
| 1992 | Half-Middleweight, Men | Jason Morris | Silver |
| 1996 | Lightweight, Men | Jimmy Pedro | Bronze |
| 2004 | Lightweight, Men | Jimmy Pedro | Bronze |
| 2008 | Middleweight, Women | Ronda Rousey | Bronze |
| 2012 | Lightweight, Women | Marti Malloy | Bronze |
| 2012 | Half-Heavyweight, Women | Kayla Harrison | Gold |
| 2016 | Half-Middleweight, Men | Travis Stevens | Silver |
| 2016 | Half-Heavyweight, Women | Kayla Harrison | Gold |
FAQ's On Olympic Medalists in Judo
A. Yes, Judo is one of the 32 sports to be played at the 2024 Summer Olympics, from July 27 to August 3.
A. Yes, Judo has been an Olympic sport since the 1964 Summer Olympics, when it debuted.
A. Japan is the No. 1 country in Judo at the Olympics medal table, winning a total of 96 medals, including 48 golds.
A. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, a total of 95 countries will be participating in Judo with their respective athletes.
A. Kye Sun-Hui, a North Korean, won a gold medal (under 48 kg.) for defeating Japanese Ryoko Tamura at the age of 16 in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, becoming the youngest Judo medalist ever.
