Judo at the 2000 Sydney Summer Games:

Ryoko Tamura (JPN) was an overwhelming favorite. She had lost the 1992 Olympic final, but since then had lost only one international match – unfortunately that was also the Olympic final in 1996. In this class she would be World Champion seven times – 1993-2007, and was expected to finally win her Olympic gold medal. She made it to the final relatively easily, winning one match by decision. In the final she met Russian Lyubov Bruletova, the 1999 European runner-up. But it was no contest, Tamura winning by ippon in 36 seconds. Tamura would return in 2004 and defend her gold medal, in addition to continuing to win World titles.