(Paris) Stratospheric! Teddy Riner became the Olympic heavyweight champion for the third time in Paris on Friday after 2012 and 2016, a major feat never before achieved in the premier category and which makes him the greatest of judokas.
Published at 6:00 a.m. Updated at 12:11 p.m.
Olivier LEVRAULT and Christophe BEAUDUFE Agence France-Presse
The superhero of the tatami has once again donned his cape to offer the French judo team its first title in Paris 2024, and its ninth medal. He ipponized with a superb sweep the 23-year-old South Korean Kim Min-jong, 2024 world champion (in the absence of the Frenchman).
“It’s crazy, we dream about it, we have nightmares about it, but we never think that it will be like this. […] “It’s a sick thing. It’s a blast. It’s wow!” he said.
PHOTO KIM KYUNG-HOON, REUTERS
Teddy Riner
He is the only Frenchman to have held his place as favourite and allows the Blues to avoid leaving “their” Games without Marseillaise, while waiting for the mixed team competition on Saturday.
“It’s not normal, at 30 you no longer win in judo, and he does it at 35,” said the president of the French federation Stéphane Nomis, grateful to the champion for having “saved” these Games.
“To beat a certain Nomura”
The Olympic cauldron, lit with Marie-José Pérec at the Tuileries last week, was not enough for him: Teddy Riner set the Arena Champ-de-Mars ablaze. And inscribed his name, forever, in the pantheon of sport. He is the first judoka to achieve the Olympic triple in +100 kg after London 2012 and Rio 2016.
PHOTO ARLETTE BASHIZI, REUTERS
Teddy Riner et Kim Min-jong
This feat had only been achieved once before, by Japanese super lightweight Tadahiro Nomura (1996, 2000, 2004). But with his team gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and his two bronze medals (2008, 2021), as well as his eleven world titles, he surpasses all.
“It’s nice to beat a certain Nomura,” he smiled, proud of his “perfect Olympics” at home, where he had made an appointment to become that “undisputed record holder.”
Kim Min-jong, who beat Japanese Tatsuru Saito, another favorite, in the semi-finals, was no match for the “old man,” as Riner called himself when speaking of his extraordinary longevity. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>
The 35-year-old judoka, who wants to continue the adventure until Los Angeles in 2028 (“give me time, but that’s the goal!”), showed the younger generation that he was still the boss.
Kim was swept away by a school harai-goshi (hip movement) with only 16 seconds left before overtime. A spectacular epilogue, celebrated with a raised fist and then jubilation with the crowd.
After the Marseillaise, he threw himself into the arms of his parents and other relatives, then of Emmanuel Macron. He then took photos with the other French medalist of the day, Romane Dicko, in bronze and disappointed (+78 kg), and took the time for a few selfies and autographs.
PHOTO BY LUIS ROBAYO, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
French President Emmanuel Macron congratulates Teddy Riner after his victory.
Alone in the world
Alone with his medal, he then lay down on the tatami where he had just written the new chapter of his legend. Alone in the world.
The 2.03 m, 140 kilo colossus had started his day sluggishly against the Emirati Magomedomar Magomedomarov, disqualified in overtime for non-combativity.
In the quarter-finals, Riner defeated the Georgian Guram Tushishvili, the reigning Olympic vice-champion. A fight that almost ended… in a brawl. Thrown onto his back after 2 min 39, the Georgian knocked the Frenchman down and seemed to want to fight even though the fight was over. He was disqualified.
“Objective” 2028
This fight “allowed him to let go. As the day went on, he gained strength. There, he was able to become himself again, a great champion”, said his trainer Christian Chaumont, for whom Riner is “someone who knows how to manage stress very well”.
In particular, the one at the ephemeral Grand Palais Arena, which undoubtedly inhibited other judokas a little. In the semi-final, it was after 1 min 45 that Riner placed a sumptuous o-soto-gari (large outside mowing) against Rakhimov.
He then secured this sixth Olympic medal, which makes him the most decorated judoka in history since 1964 and the entry of judo into the Olympic Games in Japan. He could have another one on Saturday.
Waiting for 2028 in Los Angeles? “Give me time, but that’s the goal!”
2024-08-02 21:15:54
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