# Judo at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Women's 52 kg

These are the results of the women's 52 kg (also known as half lightweight) competition in judo at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. A total of 21 women competed in this event, limited to jūdōka whose body weight was less than, or equal to, 61 kilograms. Competition took place on July 23 of 1996 in the Georgia World Congress Center.

## Results

The gold and silver medalists were determined by the final match of the main single-elimination bracket.
| Round of 32 | Round of 32 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Gold medal final | Gold medal final | Gold medal final |
| | | | Ewa Larysa Krause (POL) | Ewa Larysa Krause (POL) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| Sharon Rendle (GBR) | Sharon Rendle (GBR) | L | Lynda Mekzine (ALG) | Lynda Mekzine (ALG) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| Lynda Mekzine (ALG) | Lynda Mekzine (ALG) | W | | | | Ewa-Larysa Krause (POL) | Ewa-Larysa Krause (POL) | W | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Almudena Muñoz (ESP) | Almudena Muñoz (ESP) | L | | | | | | |
| | | | Almudena Muñoz (ESP) | Almudena Muñoz (ESP) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| Isabelle Schmutz (SUI) | Isabelle Schmutz (SUI) | L | Marina Kovrigina (RUS) | Marina Kovrigina (RUS) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| Marina Kovrigina (RUS) | Marina Kovrigina (RUS) | W | | | | | | | Ewa-Larysa Krause (POL) | Ewa-Larysa Krause (POL) | L | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Marie-Claire Restoux (FRA) | Marie-Claire Restoux (FRA) | W | | | |
| | | | Katty Santaella (VEN) | Katty Santaella (VEN) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| Heidi Goossens (BEL) | Heidi Goossens (BEL) | L | Marisa Pedulla (USA) | Marisa Pedulla (USA) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| Marisa Pedulla (USA) | Marisa Pedulla (USA) | W | | | | Marisa Pedulla (USA) | Marisa Pedulla (USA) | L | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Marie-Claire Restoux (FRA) | Marie-Claire Restoux (FRA) | W | | | | | | |
| | | | Cathy Brain-Grainger (AUS) | Cathy Brain-Grainger (AUS) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Marie-Claire Restoux (FRA) | Marie-Claire Restoux (FRA) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Marie-Claire Restoux (FRA) | Marie-Claire Restoux (FRA) | W |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Hyun Sook-hee (KOR) | Hyun Sook-hee (KOR) | L |
| | | | Carolina Mariani (ARG) | Carolina Mariani (ARG) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Nathalie Gosselin (CAN) | Nathalie Gosselin (CAN) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Carolina Mariani (ARG) | Carolina Mariani (ARG) | L | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Hyun Sook-hee (KOR) | Hyun Sook-hee (KOR) | W | | | | | | |
| | | | Tseng Hsiao-fen (TPE) | Tseng Hsiao-fen (TPE) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| Hyun Sook-hee (KOR) | Hyun Sook-hee (KOR) | W | Hyun Sook-hee (KOR) | Hyun Sook-hee (KOR) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| Alessandra Giungi (ITA) | Alessandra Giungi (ITA) | L | | | | | | | Hyun Sook-hee (KOR) | Hyun Sook-hee (KOR) | W | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Legna Verdecia (CUB) | Legna Verdecia (CUB) | L | | | |
| | | | Alexa von Schwichow (GER) | Alexa von Schwichow (GER) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Legna Verdecia (CUB) | Legna Verdecia (CUB) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Legna Verdecia (CUB) | Legna Verdecia (CUB) | W | | | | | | |
| Noriko Sugawara (JPN) | Noriko Sugawara (JPN) | W | | | | Noriko Sugawara (JPN) | Noriko Sugawara (JPN) | L | | | | | | |
| Wang Jin (CHN) | Wang Jin (CHN) | L | Noriko Sugawara (JPN) | Noriko Sugawara (JPN) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Sunith Thakur (IND) | Sunith Thakur (IND) | L | | | | | | | | | |

### Repechage

The losing semifinalists as well as those judoka eliminated in earlier rounds by the four semifinalists of the main bracket advanced to the repechage. These matches determined the two bronze medalists for the event.
| First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Bronze medal finals | Bronze medal finals |
| | | Lynda Mekzine (ALG) | L | | | | |
| | | Almudena Muñoz (ESP) | W | Almudena Muñoz (ESP) | W | Legna Verdecia (CUB) | W |
| | | Marisa Pedulla (USA) | W | Marisa Pedulla (USA) | L | Almudena Muñoz (ESP) | L |
| | | Cathy Brain-Grainger (AUS) | L | | | | |
| Tseng Hsiao-fen (TPE) | L | Carolina Mariani (ARG) | W | | | | |
| Alessandra Giungi (ITA) | W | Alessandra Giungi (ITA) | L | Carolina Mariani (ARG) | L | Ewa-Larysa Krause (POL) | L |
| | | Alexa von Schwichow (GER) | L | Noriko Sugawara (JPN) | W | Noriko Sugawara (JPN) | W |
| | | Noriko Sugawara (JPN) | W | | | | |