Teddy Riner: Most asked questions about French judo star
When did Teddy Riner start practising judo? Where does he train, and who has defeated him? Find out below some answers to the questions people have about the world's most decorated judoka.
Judo
Teddy Riner is the most popular judoka in the world and one of France's most beloved athletes ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about the multiple Olympic, world, and European champion in the men's super-heavyweight division (+100kg).
When did Teddy Riner start judo?
Riner started practising judo at the age of five in a dojo at Aquaboulevard, a multi-sport resort in the south of Paris.
As a child, he tried several disciplines, including tennis, swimming, and football, but at 13, he decided to focus on the martial art. Two years later, he joined the French judo national team.
Where does Teddy Riner train?
Since he was 14, Riner has been training at the INSEP, the country's high-performance centre for elite athletes located in the outskirts of Paris, in the Bois de Vincennes.
After joining PSG Judo in 2017, he sometimes trains at the club's facilities across the French capital.
Riner can also be seen in training camps abroad, with Morocco, Japan, Brazil, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan being some of his favourite locations.
Who has defeated Teddy Riner?
During his senior career, Riner has only suffered five defeats in all competitions. His ten-year unbeaten streak (154 consecutive wins) came to an end when he lost against Kageura Kokoro of Japan in the third round of the 2020 Paris Grand Slam.
On 26 November 2022 he was defeated by Georgia's Guram Tushishvili at the European Championships for Clubs, but a couple of days later the International Judo Federation (IJF) observed "a clear refereeing error" and decided to rectify the score by cancelling the waza-ari against the Frenchman.
Here is the list of Riner's senior defeats:
- 15 August 2008 at Olympic Games Beijing 2008: Beaten by Abdullo Tangriev (UZB)
- 13 September 2010 at 2010 open-weight World championships in Tokyo, Japan: Beaten by Kamikawa Daiki (JPN)
- 9 February 2020 at 2020 Paris Grand Slam: Beaten by Kageura Kokoro (JPN)
- 3 October 2020 at 2020 Team French Championships: Beaten by Joseph Terhec (FRA)
- 30 July 2021 at Olympic Games Tokyo 2020: Beaten by Tamerlav Bashaev (ROC)
How much does Teddy Riner weigh?
According to his official website, Riner is 2.03m (6'8") tall and has an ideal weight of 135/140kg.
In 2016, he took a break from the sport after the Rio Olympics, and when he resumed training two years later, his body weight had increased to 166kg.
Is Teddy Riner the GOAT?
Riner is the most decorated judoka in history.
He has won a record ten world titles and five European crowns. At the Olympic Games, he has collected two individual golds and two bronzes, plus a team title with France. Only Japan's Nomura Tadahiro has won more Olympic individual titles (three).