Tadahiro Nomura: The Only Judoka With Three Olympic Golds
Tadahiro Nomura: The Only Judoka With Three Olympic Golds
Three straight Olympic judo titles in the −60kg division. Here is the career of the greatest Olympic judoka in history.
Tadahiro Nomura is the greatest Olympic judoka in history. He won three consecutive Olympic gold medals in the extra-lightweight (−60kg) division — Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 — the only judoka ever to win three individual Olympic golds in a row, and the first Japanese athlete to win three straight individual Olympic titles.
In this guide
1. Three straight golds
2. A finisher’s judo
3. A record that stands alone
4. Why he matters
1. Three straight golds
Unmatched in his sport.
Nomura won −60kg gold at Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 — the only judoka in history with three consecutive individual Olympic titles.1 At Sydney he needed just 14 seconds to win his final.1
2. A finisher’s judo
Decisive, explosive throws.
His judo was built on devastating throws — the seoi nage in particular — that ended contests outright rather than grinding out points.1
3. A record that stands alone
A first for Japan.
Nomura was the first Japanese athlete to win three consecutive individual Olympic golds — in the sport Japan gave the world.1
4. Why he matters
Judo royalty.
Nomura embodies Japan’s mastery of its national martial art — the discipline and technique explored in our guide to judo in Japan and across the development hub.
Frequently asked questions
How many Olympic golds did Tadahiro Nomura win?
Three — at Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, all in the −60kg division.
What makes his record unique?
He is the only judoka ever to win three consecutive individual Olympic gold medals.
Which division did he compete in?
The extra-lightweight category, −60kg.
Keep exploring
Explore the stories, systems and culture behind Japanese sport.
Sources & notes
- Three consecutive −60kg Olympic golds (1996/2000/2004), only judoka to do so; first Japanese athlete with three straight individual golds; 14-second Sydney final; seoi nage. Olympics.com; Wikipedia.
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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