Half-Heavyweight (≤93 kilograms), Men

Kazuhiro Ninomiya was Japan’s surprising selection for this category. He had been World Champion in 1973 in the open class, and silver medalist in 1975, but lost weight to drop down to this class. The 1975 World Champion in half-heavyweight had been France’s Jean-Luc Rougé. He was present in Montréal but did not make the semi-finals or the repêchage round. He lost in the semis of Pool A to David Starbrook, silver medalist in 1972. Ninomiya made it to the final, where he faced Ramaz Kharshiladze, a Soviet Georgian who had been bronze medalist at the 1975 Worlds. Ninomiya dominated the final, never being in danger, although Harshiladze avoided ippon and waza-ari. Starbrook won one repêchage for a bronze medal, joined by the Swiss, Jürg Röthlisberger.