Ryoko Tani: The Best Female Judoka of All Time
Ryoko Tani: The Best Female Judoka of All Time
Two Olympic golds, five Olympic medals and a record seven world titles. Here is the career of Ryoko Tani.
Ryoko Tani is, in the words of the International Judo Federation, the best female judoka ever. Competing in the extra-lightweight (48kg) class, she won a record seven world titles and five Olympic medals across five Games — including back-to-back golds at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, the first woman to win two Olympic judo titles.
In this guide
1. Five Games, five medals
2. Seven world titles
3. A first for women’s judo
4. Why she matters
1. Five Games, five medals
A two-decade run at the top.
Tani won five Olympic medals in the 48kg division: silver in 1992 and 1996, gold in 2000 and 2004, and bronze in 2008.1 Few athletes in any sport have medalled at five consecutive Olympics.
2. Seven world titles
A record haul.
She won a record seven world championships (1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2007), dominating her weight class across generations of rivals.1
3. A first for women’s judo
The breakthrough champion.
With her 2000 and 2004 golds, Tani became the first woman to win two Olympic judo titles — and was later named by the IJF as the best female judoka ever.1
4. Why she matters
The face of women’s judo.
Tani turned women’s judo into must-watch sport in Japan and worldwide — alongside fellow great Tadahiro Nomura in the sport Japan gave the world. See our guide to judo in Japan.
Frequently asked questions
How many Olympic medals did Ryoko Tani win?
Five — silver (1992, 1996), gold (2000, 2004) and bronze (2008), all at 48kg.
What was her historic first?
She was the first woman to win two Olympic judo titles.
How many world titles did she win?
A record seven world championships between 1993 and 2007.
Keep exploring
Explore the stories, systems and culture behind Japanese sport.
Sources & notes
- 48kg; 5 Olympic medals (S 1992/1996, G 2000/2004, B 2008); first woman with two Olympic judo titles; record 7 world titles (1993–2007); IJF “best female judoka ever”. Olympics.com; Wikipedia; IJF.
A profile dated 21 June 2026. No copyrighted material is reproduced.
📅 更新履歴
| 日付 | 変更内容 |
|---|---|
| 2026年6月21日 | 初回公開 |
| 2026年6月22日 | 情報を更新 |
✅ ファクト再検証
最終検証日：2026年6月22日
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