Judo at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's 78 kg

The women's 78 kg (also known as half-heavyweight) tournament in the judo at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held on August 14 at the Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium. A total of 21 women competed in this event, limited to jūdōka with a body weight of less than 78 kilograms. Preliminary rounds started at 12:00 Noon CST. Repechage finals, semifinals, bouts for bronze medals and the final were held at 18:00pm CST.

Women's 78 kg at the Games of the XXIX Olympiad
Venue	Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium
Date	August 14
Competitors	21 from 21 nations
Winning score	0000
Medalists
Yang Xiuli  China Yalennis Castillo  Cuba Jeong Gyeong-Mi  South Korea Stéphanie Possamaï  France

Judo at the 2008 Summer Olympics
	Men	Women
	60 kg	48 kg
	66 kg	52 kg
	73 kg	57 kg
	81 kg	63 kg
	90 kg	70 kg
	100 kg	78 kg
	+100 kg	+78 kg

This event was the second-heaviest of the women's judo weight classes, limiting competitors to a maximum of 78 kilograms of body mass. Like all other judo events, bouts lasted five minutes. If the bout was still tied at the end, it was extended for another five-minute, sudden-death period; if neither judoka scored during that period, the match is decided by the judges. The tournament bracket consisted of a single-elimination contest culminating in a gold medal match. There was also a repechage to determine the winners of the two bronze medals. Each judoka who had lost to a semifinalist competed in the repechage. The two judokas who lost in the semifinals faced the winner of the opposite half of the bracket's repechage in bronze medal bouts.