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

These are the results of the women's +72 kg (also known as 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 more than 72 kilograms. Competition took place on July 20 of 1996 in the Georgia World Congress Center.
Two single-elimination pools, with winner of each pool advanced to the final. All judoka losing to the finalists in each pool advanced to repêchage pools, with the winners of the repêchage pools earning bronze medals.

## 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 |
| | | | Sun Fuming (CHN) | Sun Fuming (CHN) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Michelle Rogers (GBR) | Michelle Rogers (GBR) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Sun Fuming (CHN) | Sun Fuming (CHN) | W | | | | | | |
| Angelique Seriese (NED) | Angelique Seriese (NED) | L | | | | Johanna Hagn (GER) | Johanna Hagn (GER) | L | | | | | | |
| Johanna Hagn (GER) | Johanna Hagn (GER) | W | Johanna Hagn (GER) | Johanna Hagn (GER) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Donata Burgatta (ITA) | Donata Burgatta (ITA) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Sun Fuming (CHN) | Sun Fuming (CHN) | W | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Svetlana Gundarenko (RUS) | Svetlana Gundarenko (RUS) | L | | | |
| | | | Marguerita Goua Lou (CIV) | Marguerita Goua Lou (CIV) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Éva Granicz (HUN) | Éva Granicz (HUN) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Éva Granicz (HUN) | Éva Granicz (HUN) | L | | | | | | |
| Noriko Anno (JPN) | Noriko Anno (JPN) | L | | | | Svetlana Gundarenko (RUS) | Svetlana Gundarenko (RUS) | W | | | | | | |
| Edinanci da Silva (BRA) | Edinanci da Silva (BRA) | W | Edinanci da Silva (BRA) | Edinanci da Silva (BRA) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Svetlana Gundarenko (RUS) | Svetlana Gundarenko (RUS) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Sun Fuming (CHN) | Sun Fuming (CHN) | W |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Estela Rodríguez (CUB) | Estela Rodríguez (CUB) | L |
| | | | Nancy Filteau (CAN) | Nancy Filteau (CAN) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Yeh Wen-hua (TPE) | Yeh Wen-hua (TPE) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Nancy Filteau (CAN) | Nancy Filteau (CAN) | L | | | | | | |
| Arti Kohli (IND) | Arti Kohli (IND) | L | | | | Estela Rodríguez (CUB) | Estela Rodríguez (CUB) | W | | | | | | |
| Estela Rodríguez (CUB) | Estela Rodríguez (CUB) | W | Estela Rodríguez (CUB) | Estela Rodríguez (CUB) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Son Hyeon-mi (KOR) | Son Hyeon-mi (KOR) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Estela Rodríguez (CUB) | Estela Rodríguez (CUB) | W | | | |
| Heidi Burnett (AUS) | Heidi Burnett (AUS) | W | | | | | | | Beata Maksymow (POL) | Beata Maksymow (POL) | L | | | |
| Colleen Rosensteel (USA) | Colleen Rosensteel (USA) | L | Heidi Burnett (AUS) | Heidi Burnett (AUS) | L | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Heba Hefny (EGY) | Heba Hefny (EGY) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Heba Hefny (EGY) | Heba Hefny (EGY) | L | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Beata Maksymow (POL) | Beata Maksymow (POL) | W | | | | | | |
| | | | Beata Maksymow (POL) | Beata Maksymow (POL) | W | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Christine Cicot (FRA) | Christine Cicot (FRA) | 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.
| Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Bronze medal finals | Bronze medal finals |
| Michelle Rogers (GBR) | L | | | | |
| Johanna Hagn (GER) | W | Johanna Hagn (GER) | W | Beata Maksymow (POL) | L |
| Éva Granicz (HUN) | L | Edinanci da Silva (BRA) | L | Johanna Hagn (GER) | W |
| Edinanci da Silva (BRA) | W | | | | |
| Nancy Filteau (CAN) | L | | | | |
| Son Hyeon-Mi (KOR) | W | Son Hyeon-Mi (KOR) | L | Svetlana Gundarenko (RUS) | L |
| Heba Hefny (EGY) | L | Christine Cicot (FRA) | W | Christine Cicot (FRA) | W |
| Christine Cicot (FRA) | W | | | | |