Jose Luis Abajo

Jose Luis Abajo, nicknamed Pirri, won Olympic gold in the 60kg judo category at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics, defeating the favourite David Douillet of France in a famous upset. A dedicated and technically pure judoka, Abajo was World Championship bronze medallist in 1995 and had represented Spain in multiple international competitions before his Olympic breakthrough. His Atlanta gold remains one of the most surprising and celebrated moments in Spanish Olympic history.