Invited in the podcast of Tony Parker, Teddy Riner poured out his long career but also on the inevitable sacrifices in high level sport. The champion notably evoked an astonishing regret that he has maintained since his youngest years …
A career as a top athlete comes with choices sometimes Cornelian, and especially sacrifices. Teddy Riner learned it the hard way, he who has been practicing judo since the age of 13. Ten times world champion, the 32-year-old champion has nothing more to prove today. However, he still maintains some regrets of his youth. Because the young Teddy, who spent most of his time on the tatami, was forced to give up certain experiences that most teenagers have. A regret that he recently mentioned on the microphone of the podcast of his great friend Tony Parker.
“I am told: ‘what do you regret in your life?’ (…) That’s all stupid what I’m going to say. The only thing I wish I had known is college romance“, he declared. Then to add: “You know, the thing where you have your girlfriend and after school, we see each other, we are going for a drink, we are going to the movies… You see I have not known that. Holding hands in the street, the ‘we’re dating’… I knew something else and I just wanted to know the first love affairs in college, here“Rare confidences from the famous judoka, now the father of two children.
Family first
If he admits to having missed many family moments because of his very busy job, Teddy Riner now devotes as much time as possible to his partner, Luthna Plocus, and their two children. The one who should retire after the 2024 Olympics has also recently made tender confidences on the most important people in his life, in the columns of L’Equipe. “I would not miss the birth of my children for any competition. You miss some days because of travel. But the most important, like birthdays, out of the question“, explained the judoka, father of Eden, born in 2014 and of Isis, born in 2018.
