Teddy Riner n’a not been spoiled at the raffle in Tokyo. The French judoka, who dreams of a third Olympic title after those of London in 2012 and Rio in 2016, will have to go through a preliminary round in his table of more than 100 kg. Where ten of his opponents will start their journey in the round of 16, he will have to fight hard in the round of 16 against the Austrian Stephan Hegyi. But then, why is he not protected by the status of seed?
Thank you Dads for your unfailing support in this quest.
Proud to have you by my side, we go together @agencesdepapa pic.twitter.com/m4dGnvXy3m— Teddy Riner (@teddyriner) July 28, 2021
Omnipotent on the international scene until 2018, Teddy Riner now pays for having abandoned the tatami mats for a year and a half. In the wake of his tenth world title, the Guadeloupe had chosen to retire for a while and did not participate in any competition in 2018 and during the first six months of 2019. In fact, he fell in the standings in the world and in October 2019, on his return, ranked 36th.
A question of world ranking
Winner among others of the Grand Slam of Brasilia, Teddy Riner thus strived to move up the hierarchy of world judo and had to take place among the best 18 to ensure his direct qualification for the Tokyo Olympics. Mission accomplished for him but his 16th place in the IJF ranking of his category (+100 kg) is not enough to be seeded, status reserved for the best eight of the “Olympic ranking”.
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The draw then reserved for the Guadeloupe a preliminary round – which is more complicated against Stephan Hegyi – and a part of the table where the Israeli Or Sasson but especially the athlete of the Russian Olympic Committee Tamerlan Bashaev, no. 1 worldwide.
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