These are the results of the women's 52 kg (also known as half-lightweight) competition in judo at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. A total of 24 women qualified for this event, limited to jūdōka whose body weight was less than, or equal to, 48 kilograms. Competition took place in the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre on 17 September.
| Gold | Legna Verdecia Cuba (CUB) |
| Silver | Noriko Narazaki Japan (JPN) |
| Bronze | Sun-Hui Kye North Korea (PRK) |
| Bronze | Liu Yuxiang China (CHN) |
The gold and silver medalists were determined by the final match of the main single-elimination bracket.
| Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Gold medal final | |||||||||||||
| Bye | L | ||||||||||||||||
| Kaiser (LIE) | W | Kaiser (LIE) | L | ||||||||||||||
| Devi (IND) | W | Devi (IND) | W | ||||||||||||||
| Jaha (BIH) | L | Devi (IND) | L | ||||||||||||||
| Dias Farias (VEN) | L | Liu (CHN) | W | ||||||||||||||
| Dinea (ROU) | W | Dinea (ROU) | L | ||||||||||||||
| Bye | L | Liu (CHN) | W | ||||||||||||||
| Liu (CHN) | W | Liu (CHN) | L | ||||||||||||||
| Souakri (ALG) | W | Narazaki (JPN) | W | ||||||||||||||
| Clement (BEL) | L | Souakri (ALG) | W | ||||||||||||||
| Schmutz (SUI) | W | Schmutz (SUI) | L | ||||||||||||||
| Bye | L | Souakri (ALG) | L | ||||||||||||||
| Jang (KOR) | W | Narazaki (JPN) | W | ||||||||||||||
| Bye | L | Jang (KOR) | L | ||||||||||||||
| Narazaki (JPN) | L | Narazaki (JPN) | W | ||||||||||||||
| Baillargeon (CAN) | Narazaki (JPN) | L | |||||||||||||||
| Kye (PRK) | W | Verdecia (CUB) | W | ||||||||||||||
| Wolf (USA) | L | Kye (PRK) | W | ||||||||||||||
| Gravenstijn (NED) | W | Gravenstijn (NED) | L | ||||||||||||||
| Bye | L | Kye (PRK) | W | ||||||||||||||
| Esseng Abollo (CMR) | L | Sullivan (AUS) | L | ||||||||||||||
| Tignola (FRA) | W | Tignola (FRA) | L | ||||||||||||||
| Sullivan (AUS) | W | Sullivan (AUS) | W | ||||||||||||||
| Bye | L | Kye (PRK) | L | ||||||||||||||
| Verdecia (CUB) | W | Verdecia (CUB) | W | ||||||||||||||
| Bye | Verdecia (CUB) | W | |||||||||||||||
| Leon (ESP) | W | Leon (ESP) | L | ||||||||||||||
| Allan (GBR) | L | Verdecia (CUB) | W | ||||||||||||||
| Ravaoarisoa (MAD) | L | Mariani (ARG) | L | ||||||||||||||
| Shih (TPE) | W | Shih (TPE) | L | ||||||||||||||
| Mariani (ARG) | W | Mariani (ARG) | W | ||||||||||||||
| Bye | L | ||||||||||||||||
The losing semifinalists as well as those judoka eliminated in earlier rounds by the four semifinalists of the main bracket advanced to the repechage. These matches determined the two bronze medalists for the event.
| 1st round | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Bronze medal finals | ||||||||||
| Dinea (ROU) | W | Dinea (ROU) | L | ||||||||||
| Dinea (ROU) | W | Devi (IND) | L | Kye (PRK) | W | ||||||||
| Bye | L | Dinea (ROU) | W | ||||||||||
| Souakri (ALG) | L | ||||||||||||
| Baillargeon (CAN) | L | ||||||||||||
| Baillargeon (CAN) | W | Souakri (ALG) | W | ||||||||||
| Jang (KOR) | L | ||||||||||||
| Gravenstijn (NED) | W | Gravenstijn (NED) | L | ||||||||||
| Wolf (USA) | L | Sullivan (AUS) | L | Liu (CHN) | W | ||||||||
| Gravenstijn (NED) | W | Gravenstijn (NED) | W | ||||||||||
| Leon (ESP) | L | ||||||||||||
| Leon (ESP) | W | ||||||||||||
| Leon (ESP) | W | Mariani (ARG) | L | ||||||||||
| Bye | L | ||||||||||||