Middleweight, Freestyle (≤63 kilograms), Women
| Date | 17 August 2008 | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Olympic | |
| Location | Zhongguo Nongye Daxue Tiyuguan, Beijing | |
| Participants | 17 from 17 countries | |
| Format | Single elimination tournament. Competitors losing to the finalists entered repechage tournament for bronze medals. | |
Japan’s Kaori Icho was the overwhelming favorite, having won this title in 2004 and the last five World Championships. She won her first two matches by falls but then met Canada’s Martine Dugrenier in the semi-finals and was fortunate to win. The two wrestlers split the first two periods, and tied in the third period, 1-1, but Icho advanced because she had scored the last point. This advanced Icho to the final against Russian Alyona Kartashova, who was the current European Champion. Icho defended her gold medal easily, winning both the first two periods without giving up a point.
Icho would return in 2012 and win her third consecutive gold medal at London. She also would win World Championships in 2010-11 and 2013-14, and through 2014 had won over 150 consecutive matches. Her sister, Chiharu, won Olympic silver medals as a flyweight in 2004 and 2008.
Round One (17 August 2008)
Winner of each match advanced to round two. Losers to eventual finalists advanced to repêchage round one.
| Match #1 | Maria Dunn |  GUM | |||
| Match #2 | Elina Vaseva |  BUL | |||
| Match #3 | Yelena Shalygina |  KAZ | |||
| Match #4 | Alyona Kartashova |  RUS | |||
| Match #5 | Volha Khilko |  BLR | |||
| Match #6 | Monika Michalik |  POL | |||
| Match #7 | Teresa Méndez |  ESP | |||
| Match #8 | Lise Legrand |  FRA | |||
| Match #9 | Marianna Sastin |  HUN | |||
| Match #10 | Martine Dugrenier |  CAN | |||
| Match #11 | Xu Haiyan |  CHN | |||
| Match #12 | Badrakhyn Odonchimeg |  MGL | |||
| Match #13 | Kaori Icho |  JPN | |||
| Match #14 | Olesya Zamula |  AZE | |||
| Match #15 | Yuliya Ostapchuk |  UKR | |||
| Match #16 | Randi Miller |  USA | Haiat Farag |  EGY |
Round Two (17 August 2008)
Winner of each match advanced to quarter-finals. Losers to eventual finalists advanced to repêchage round one.
Quarter-finals (17 August 2008)
Winner of each match advanced to semi-finals. Losers to eventual finalists advanced to repêchage round two.
| Match #1 | Alyona Kartashova | RUS | Elina Vaseva | BUL | |
| Match #2 | Lise Legrand | FRA | Monika Michalik | POL | |
| Match #3 | Martine Dugrenier | CAN | Xu Haiyan | CHN | |
| Match #4 | Kaori Icho | JPN | Randi Miller | USA |
Semi-finals (17 August 2008)
Winner of each match advanced to final. Losers advanced to repêchage final.
| Match #1 | Alyona Kartashova | RUS | Lise Legrand | FRA | |
| Match #2 | Kaori Icho | JPN | Martine Dugrenier | CAN |
Repêchage Round One (17 August 2008)
Winner of each match advanced to repêchage round two.
| Match #1 | Yelena Shalygina | KAZ | |||
| Match #2 | Olesya Zamula | AZE |
Repêchage Round Two (17 August 2008)
Winner of each match advanced to repêchage final.
| Match #1 | Yelena Shalygina | KAZ | Elina Vaseva | BUL | |
| Match #2 | Randi Miller | USA | Olesya Zamula | AZE |
Repêchage Final (17 August 2008)
| Match #1 | Yelena Shalygina | KAZ | Lise Legrand | FRA | |
| Match #2 | Randi Miller | USA | Martine Dugrenier | CAN |
Final (17 August 2008)
| Match 1/2 | Kaori Icho | JPN | Alyona Kartashova | RUS |