The 13 Greatest Olympic Judokas of All Time

Three of these won Olympic gold in the same weight class more than once; one of them is better known for what she did after judo.

1

Tadahiro Nomura

The only judoka to win three consecutive Olympic golds in the same weight class, at 60kg in 1996, 2000 and 2004.

2

Teddy Riner

French heavyweight with two Olympic golds and eleven world titles, unbeaten for 150 straight bouts.

3

Yasuhiro Yamashita

Won 1984 Olympic gold on a torn calf muscle and retired with 203 consecutive victories.

4

Anton Geesink

The Dutchman who beat Akio Kaminaga in 1964 to end Japan's grip on Olympic judo.

5

Kosei Inoue

2000 Olympic champion whose uchi-mata is still the textbook version of the throw.

6

Ilias Iliadis

Greek judoka who took Olympic gold at seventeen in Athens in 2004.

7

Kayla Harrison

First American to win Olympic judo gold, and she did it twice, in 2012 and 2016.

8

Shohei Ono

Two-time Olympic champion at 73kg, widely called the most technically complete judoka of his era.

9

Driulis Gonzalez

Cuban who medalled at four straight Olympics, taking gold at 56kg in 1996.

10

Ronda Rousey

Took bronze at 70kg in Beijing 2008, the first Olympic judo medal ever won by an American woman.

11

Clarisse Agbegnenou

French 63kg champion with six world titles and Olympic gold in Tokyo.

12

Lukas Krpalek

Czech judoka who won Olympic gold in two different weight classes, at 100kg and heavyweight.

13

Majlinda Kelmendi

Won Kosovo's first Olympic medal of any colour with 52kg gold in Rio.