Jujitsu and Judo are the only samurai martial art that didn’t involve a weapon. Judo is a sport for which athletes are called upon to employ an intricate mix of attack and defense. The sport’s one-on-one battles can be tough, tense and explosive, as competitors fight for command against equally determined opponents. Judo contests last five minutes, with scores awarded for different throws and holds. However, a contest ends immediately if a competitor is awarded ‘ippon’ – the maximum score. If the scores are tied after five minutes, the contest enters a golden score period, when the first score of any sort wins. All of the Judo events at the London 2012 Olympic Games – seven for men, seven for women – will be played in a knockout format. The winners of each contest will qualify for the next round, with the two finalists going head to head in the gold medal contest. The defeated quarter-finalists will compete in two 'repechage' contests, the winners of which will then go up against the two defeated semi-finalists to determine the winners of the two bronze medals in each event.
