# Judo at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Women's 48 kg

The women's 48 kg judo competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta involved 23 competitors, limited to judoka whose body weight was less than, or equal to, 48 kg (106 lb). Competition occurred on July 26, 1996, at the Georgia World Congress Center.
Kye Sun-hui of North Korea, at age 16, surprised spectators by winning gold, upsetting the overwhelming favorite, Ryoko Tamura of Japan, in the final. She had obtained a wildcard entry to the Games, and was virtually unknown on the international stage, having never previously competing outside of her home country.

## 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 |
| Tina Kirkman (AUS) | Tina Kirkman (AUS) | L | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Yu Shu-chen (TPE) | Yu Shu-chen (TPE) | W | Shu-Chen Yu (TPE) | Shu-Chen Yu (TPE) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Hillary Wolf (USA) | Hillary Wolf (USA) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Amarilis Savon (CUB) | Amarilis Savon (CUB) | W | | | | | | |
| Hülya Şenyurt (TUR) | Hülya Şenyurt (TUR) | L | | | | Hillary Wolf (USA) | Hillary Wolf (USA) | L | | | | | | |
| Salima Souakri (ALG) | Salima Souakri (ALG) | W | Salima Souakri (ALG) | Salima Souakri (ALG) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Amarilis Savón (CUB) | Amarilis Savón (CUB) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Amarilis Savón (CUB) | Amarilis Savón (CUB) | L | | | |
| Giovanna Tortora (ITA) | Giovanna Tortora (ITA) | W | | | | | | | Ryoko Tamura (JPN) | Ryoko Tamura (JPN) | W | | | |
| Andrea Berti (BRA) | Andrea Berti (BRA) | L | Giovanna Tortora (ITA) | Giovanna Tortora (ITA) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Galina Atayeva (TKM) | Galina Atayeva (TKM) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Ryoko Tamura (JPN) | Ryoko Tamura (JPN) | W | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Giovanna Tortora (ITA) | Giovanna Tortora (ITA) | L | | | | | | |
| | | | Dora Maldonado (HON) | Dora Maldonado (HON) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| Ryoko Tamura (JPN) | Ryoko Tamura (JPN) | W | Ryoko Tamura (JPN) | Ryoko Tamura (JPN) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| Tatiana Moskvina (BLR) | Tatiana Moskvina (BLR) | L | | | | | | | | | | Ryoko Tamura (JPN) | Ryoko Tamura (JPN) | L |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Sun Hui Kye (PRK) | Sun Hui Kye (PRK) | W |
| | | | Cao Ngọc Phương Trinh (VIE) | Cao Ngọc Phương Trinh (VIE) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| Aiyue Li (CHN) | Aiyue Li (CHN) | L | Sarah Nichilo (FRA) | Sarah Nichilo (FRA) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| Sarah Nichilo-Rosso (FRA) | Sarah Nichilo-Rosso (FRA) | W | | | | Sarah Nichilo (FRA) | Sarah Nichilo (FRA) | L | | | | | | |
| Tamara Meijer (NED) | Tamara Meijer (NED) | W | | | | Sun Hui Kye (PRK) | Sun Hui Kye (PRK) | W | | | | | | |
| Nataliya Kuligina (KGZ) | Nataliya Kuligina (KGZ) | L | Tamara Meijer (NED) | Tamara Meijer (NED) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Sun Hui Kye (PRK) | Sun Hui Kye (PRK) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Sun Hui Kye (PRK) | Sun Hui Kye (PRK) | W | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Yolanda Soler (ESP) | Yolanda Soler (ESP) | L | | | |
| | | | Jana Perlberg (GER) | Jana Perlberg (GER) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Małgorzata Roszkowska (POL) | Małgorzata Roszkowska (POL) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Małgorzata Roszkowska (POL) | Małgorzata Roszkowska (POL) | L | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Yolanda Soler (ESP) | Yolanda Soler (ESP) | W | | | | | | |
| | | | Joyce Heron (GBR) | Joyce Heron (GBR) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| Carolyne Lepage (CAN) | Carolyne Lepage (CAN) | L | Yolanda Soler (ESP) | Yolanda Soler (ESP) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| Yolanda Soler (ESP) | Yolanda Soler (ESP) | 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 |
| Bye | | Salima Souakri (ALG) | W | | | | |
| Salima Souakri (ALG) | W | Hillary Wolf (USA) | L | Salima Souakri (ALG) | W | Salima Souakri (ALG) | L |
| Tatiana Moskvina (BLR) | W | Tatiana Moskvina (BLR) | W | Tatiana Moskvina (BLR) | L | Yolanda Soler (ESP) | W |
| Dora Maldonado (HON) | L | Giovanna Tortora (ITA) | L | | | | |
| Bye | L | Tamara Meijer (NED) | L | | | | |
| Tamara Meijer (NED) | W | Sarah Nichilo (FRA) | W | Sarah Nichilo (FRA) | W | Sarah Nichilo (FRA) | L |
| Joyce Heron (GBR) | W | Joyce Heron (GBR) | L | Małgorzata Roszkowska (POL) | L | Amarilis Savón (CUB) | W |
| Carolyne Lepage (CAN) | L | Małgorzata Roszkowska (POL) | W | | | | |