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

1992–1996: +72 kg
2000–: +78 kg

Women's +78 kg
at the Games of the XXIX Olympiad
Women's +78 kg; at the Games of the XXIX Olympiad
Venue	Beijing Science and Technology; University Gymnasium
Dates	August 15
Competitors	21 from 21 nations
Winning score	1001
Medalists
	← 2004 2012 →

The women's +78 kg (also known as heavyweight) tournament in the judo at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held on August 15 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 more 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.

This event was the heaviest of the women's judo weight classes, allowing competitors with over 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.

Qualifying athletes

Mat	Athlete	Country
1	Sandra Köppen	Germany
1	Michela Torrenti	Italy
1	Janelle Shepherd	Australia
1	Samah Ramadan	Egypt
1	Idalys Ortiz	Cuba
1	Maryna Prokof'yeva	Ukraine
1	Tong Wen	China
1	Tea Donguzashvili	Russia
1	Kim Na-young	South Korea
1	Carmen Chala	Ecuador
1	Nihal Chikhrouhou	Tunisia
2	Mariya Shekerova	Uzbekistan
2	Anne-Sophie Mondière	France
2	Maki Tsukada	Japan
2	Vanessa Zambotti	Mexico
2	Karina Bryant	Great Britain
2	Carola Uilenhoed	Netherlands
2	Dorjgotovyn Tserenkhand	Mongolia
2	Gulzhan Issanova	Kazakhstan
2	Urszula Sadkowska	Poland
2	Lucija Polavder	Slovenia