Teddy Riner is considered by many to be the greatest judoka in history. The French legend boasts an unprecedented 11 world titles - the most by any judoka in history - and three Olympic gold medals.
Teddy Riner: The heir to the judo throne
Born on April 7, 1989, in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, Riner began his athletic journey at a multisport club in Aquaboulevard, Paris, when he was five. During his early years, he tried out different sports, such as climbing, golf, tennis, and swimming, but eventually found his passion in judo.
At 15, he joined the French national team at INSEP and began his professional career two years later. Riner reigned supreme on the tatami, winning national, European, and world titles at junior level, establishing himself as the heir to the French judo legend David Douillet.
Teddy Riner: A decade-long winning streak
In 2007, Riner became the youngest judo world champion at 18, winning the gold medal at the Rio de Janeiro World Championship a year after securing the junior title.
He has since won 10 additional senior world titles, four Olympic medals, and five European championships, underlining his dominance in the sport.
Throughout his illustrious senior career, Riner has suffered five defeats, the only blemishes in his otherwise impeccable record. He dominated the judo arena throughout an awe-inspiring decade from 2010 to 2020, asserting his authority.
He won a jaw-dropping 154 consecutive matches during his exceptional 10-year undefeated streak. Kageura Kokoro of Japan finally halted his winning streak in the third round of the 2020 Paris Grand Slam.
With no plans to bring the curtain down on a dazzling career following his home Olympics in Paris, Riner expressed his intention to continue competing beyond 2024.
"I can't say for sure that I will stop in 2024. As long as everything goes well, I may continue my journey beyond that. I find it effortless to manage travelling and training, and I'm in excellent physical shape with a strong enthusiasm for my work. Fatigue is not a concern for me now, so why would I stop if I'm passionate about what I do? While my focus is on 2024, I'm also considering the possibility of aiming for 2028," he revealed to l'Equipe.