Lightweight (≤56 kilograms), Women

The last two world champions were France’s Catherine Arnaud and Great Britain’s Ann Hughes, and both were present in Seoul. But both lost in their pool finals, Arnaud to Australian Suzanne Williams, who was the silver medalist at the 1987 Worlds, and Hughes to China’s Liu Guizhu. In the final, Williams won a close decision by yusei-gachi. Liu was a complete unknown who never made the podium again at any major international. Arnaud would recover in 1989 to repeat as World Champion.