Picture by Aurelien Meunier 2019/Getty Images
Fourteen individual gold medals and one mixed team title are up for grabs in judo at Olympic Games Paris 2024.
The world’s best judoka will battle it out in the Champs du Mars Arena under the lights of the Eiffel Tower from 26 July to 3 August - a fitting location for one of the host nation’s most popular sports.
Team Japan leads the charge, having taken nine of the 14 Olympic titles on home soil in Tokyo 2020. But France was hot on their heels, taking eight individual medals, and will be eager to expand their success on their turf this time.
The seven days of individual judo competition will culminate in one dramatic final: the mixed team competition, making its second Olympic appearance.
The Japanese-French rivalry continues in the mixed team event, with Japan seeking revenge on France after their defeat at home in Tokyo 2020. With 19 teams competing, it will be the largest in the event's history.
Welcome to judo at Paris 2024.
Two words come to mind when you think of Olympic judo in Paris: Teddy Riner. The French judo legend, with five Olympic medals (three gold) and eleven world titles, is just one win away from securing the record for most Olympic judo medals.
His teammate and reigning Olympic champion, Clarisse Agbegnenou, is also a home favourite. The six-time -63kg world champion won her latest title less than one year after giving birth and plans to defend her Olympic title with her daughter watching from the crowd.
At Tokyo 2020, Japanese siblings Hifumi and Uta Abe continued dominating the -66kg and -52kg categories by becoming the first siblings to win gold on the same day at the Olympics. The siblings have not lost a fight on the World Judo Tour in five years.
Kosovo’s female judokas will aim for more gold with reigning Olympic champions Nora Gjakova and Distria Krasniqi, who moved up a weight category. Kosovo has three Olympic gold medals, all from women, all from judo.
Cuba’s Idalys Ortiz is also looking to make history with a possible fifth consecutive Olympic medal in the women's heavyweight category. And in the men's heavyweights, double Olympic champion Lukas Krpalek will compete for more glory after winning gold in two different weight categories: -100kg and +100kg.
The mixed team event on 3 August will be a major highlight as Japan seeks revenge against France, who dealt a crushing blow to the Japanese during the event's Olympic debut.
Judo is set to take place from 27 July to 3 August in the Champ du Mars Arena. The mixed team event takes place on the last day
All the action from Paris 2024, including judo, can be watched via media rights holders (MRHs).
MRHs include Nine in Australia, Globo in Brazil, CBC in Canada, CCTV in People's Republic of China, Fuji TV/NHK/Nippon TV/TBS/TV Asahi/TV Tokyo in Japan, SKY NZ in New Zealand, SuperSport in South Africa, NBC in the United States, and Discovery Eurosport across Europe, alongside France Télévisions in France, ARD/ZDF in Germany, and BBC Sport in the United Kingdom, among others.
Check listings in other regions for your local broadcaster.
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