# Judo at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Women's 72 kg

These are the results of the Women's 72 kg (also known as Half-Heavyweight) competition in judo at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. A total of 20 women competed in this event, limited to jūdōka whose body weight was less than, or equal to, 72 kilograms. Competition took place in the Georgia World Congress Center.

## Main bracket

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 |
| | | | Scapin (ITA) | Scapin (ITA) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| Leng (CHN) | Leng (CHN) | W | Leng (CHN) | Leng (CHN) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| Chen (TPE) | Chen (TPE) | L | | | | Scapin (ITA) | Scapin (ITA) | L | | | | | | |
| Belyaeva (UKR) | Belyaeva (UKR) | W | | | | Belyaeva (UKR) | Belyaeva (UKR) | W | | | | | | |
| St. Louis (MRI) | St. Louis (MRI) | L | Belyaeva (UKR) | Belyaeva (UKR) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Richter (ROU) | Richter (ROU) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Belyaeva (UKR) | Belyaeva (UKR) | L | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Werbrouck (BEL) | Werbrouck (BEL) | W | | | |
| | | | Galante (RUS) | Galante (RUS) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Werbrouck (BEL) | Werbrouck (BEL) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Werbrouck (BEL) | Werbrouck (BEL) | W | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Curto (ESP) | Curto (ESP) | L | | | | | | |
| | | | Nazarenko (TKM) | Nazarenko (TKM) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| Bogunova (KAZ) | Bogunova (KAZ) | L | Curto (ESP) | Curto (ESP) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| Curto (ESP) | Curto (ESP) | W | | | | | | | | | | Werbrouck (BEL) | Werbrouck (BEL) | W |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Tanabe (JPN) | Tanabe (JPN) | L |
| | | | Howey (GBR) | Howey (GBR) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Kienhuis (NED) | Kienhuis (NED) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Howey (GBR) | Howey (GBR) | L | | | | | | |
| Bacher (USA) | Bacher (USA) | L | | | | Tanabe (JPN) | Tanabe (JPN) | W | | | | | | |
| Ertel (GER) | Ertel (GER) | W | Ertel (GER) | Ertel (GER) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Tanabe (JPN) | Tanabe (JPN) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Tanabe (JPN) | Tanabe (JPN) | W | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Essombe (FRA) | Essombe (FRA) | L | | | |
| | | | Luna (CUB) | Luna (CUB) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| Essombe (FRA) | Essombe (FRA) | W | Essombe (FRA) | Essombe (FRA) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| Jenkins (CAN) | Jenkins (CAN) | L | | | | Essombe (FRA) | Essombe (FRA) | W | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Gomez (VEN) | Gomez (VEN) | L | | | | | | |
| | | | Galea (AUS) | Galea (AUS) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Gomez (VEN) | Gomez (VEN) | W | | | | | | | | | |

## 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 |
| St Louis (MRI) | L | Richter (ROU) | L | | | | |
| Richter (ROU) | W | Scapin (ITA) | W | Scapin (ITA) | W | Scapin (ITA) | W |
| Bye | | Galyant (RUS) | W | Galyant (RUS) | L | Essombe (FRA) | L |
| Bye | | Curto (ESP) | L | | | | |
| Bye | | Howey (GBR) | L | | | | |
| Bye | | Ertel (GER) | W | Ertel (GER) | L | Luna (CUB) | W |
| Jenkins (CAN) | L | Luna (CUB) | W | Luna (CUB) | W | Belyaeva (UKR) | L |
| Luna (CUB) | W | Gómez (VEN) | L | | | | |