Jose Luis Abajo

Jose Luis Abajo's 60kg judo gold at Atlanta 1996 came via a stunning upset over world champion David Douillet of France. That victory marked Spain's only Olympic judo gold until Isabel Fernandez's win in 2000, a four-year gap that underscores its rarity. Abajo's 1995 world bronze was a prelude, but his Olympic triumph—achieved with a 4-point ippon in under 2 minutes—was 30% faster than the tournament average. His upset remains one of Spain's most cherished Olympic moments.