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Judo means "the gentle way" in Japanese. Of course, it is derived in part from jujitsu, the hand-to-hand combat technique of ancient samurai warriors, and everything is relative. While throwing opponents to the floor wins most matches, it is the only Olympic sport where submission holds allow choking an opponent or breaking an arm.
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| History |
 Judo made its first Olympic appearance in 1964, but then it was not included on
the programme of the 1968 Olympic Games. However, Judo again returned to the
Olympic fold in 1972, and women's judo was added to the programme at the 1992
Olympics.
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| Equipment |
 The mat
The competition area in judo is comprised of vinyl-covered foam mats, or tatami.
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| Glossary |
Armlock: The legitimate application of pressure to an opponent's elbow joint to gain a
submission.
Danger zone: The one-metre red area that borders the contest area and alerts judoka that they
are nearly out of bounds.
Judogi: A competitor's judo uniform, consisting of loose-fitting pants and jacket and a
belt tied at the waist.
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David Douillet first competed in the Olympics in 1992, earning a bronze medal in judo's heavyweight category. Four years later, he defeated the same man who had upset him in the semifinals in 1992. |
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Ryoko Tamura was only sixteen years old when she upset Karen Briggs in the semifinals of the Judo extra-lightweight division at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. She lost to world champion C閏ile Nowak of France in the final, but it was clear
that the future belonged to Tamura. |
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