Judo. Teddy Riner crowned world champion for the eleventh time – Judo

Teddy Riner was crowned world champion of +100 kg, this Saturday in Doha, winning at 34 an eleventh world title just over a year from the Paris Olympics. In the final, he beat by waza-ari in extra time the Russian Inal Tasoev, who was competing under a neutral flag. He brings France a second title in this edition of the Worlds after that of Clarisse Agbégnénou in -63 kg, and in total a seventh medal.

“It’s been a long time since I heard a Marseillaise on a world podium, it feels good,” he reacted. The Guadeloupean had not participated in the world judo meeting since his tenth coronation in 2017.

Impressive in the semi-finals

The Frenchman was impressive in the semi-finals by dispatching in less than thirty seconds the Tajik Temur Rakhimov, world No.1 in the category, after having spent more than twenty minutes on the tatami during the previous rounds.

In the quarter-finals, Riner had dominated the Japanese Tatsuru Saito, 1.91 m for 165 kilos and vice-world champion. If he failed to score, he ended up cracking the new Japanese sensation on penalties after 3 min 40 of overtime.

Withdrawn from the 2022 edition due to an ankle injury that occurred last summer, the Frenchman, who had only been able to play in an individual tournament since, was not seeded and had to go through a first round against the Romanian Vladut Simionescu, 25th in the world. After a sluggish start to the fight during which the two judokas received two penalties, Riner sent his opponent to the ground at the edge of the mat 1 min 47 sec from the end of regulation time.

“One of the biggest days of my entire career”

In the second round, he dominated the Polish Kacper Szczurowski, sanctioned with three penalties after 3 min 12 sec. In the next round, he also won on penalties against Mongolian Tsetsentsengel Odkhuu, ranked 4th in the world in the +100 kg category and winner in February of the Grand Slam in Tel Aviv.

“Not an easy day, I think it’s one of the biggest days of my entire career,” said Riner. “No rhythm all day, so what do we use? The mind is all that’s left. Riner came to Qatar with the desire to test himself in contact with the best judokas one year before the Paris Olympics, his main objective. He will aim for a third individual title in Paris.