Smile, it looks like Teddy Riner almost relieved after his defeat against the Japanese Kageura at the Grand Slam in Paris, this Sunday. At 30, the double French Olympic champion remained on a series of 154 victories in a row ... Almost 10 years he had not lost, since the world final all categories lost by decision of the referees, September 13, 2010 .
We don't feel affected…
TEDDY RINER. I am not more disappointed, not more sad than that. I would even say that it makes me feel good, It's been a long time since it happened to me. And it puts a burden on my shoulders. I laugh because I started it all alone (sic) . If I had taken Ippon, if I had had a beast in front of me, I would have said to myself Oh ! There it is rather shit it did not happen .
Why did it not happen this time?
Why did I attack on Uchi-Mata (Editor's note: mowing from the inside of the thigh) and why did I give up? I don't know, I will have to look at the pictures. I attacked, maybe I shouldn't have used this technique, maybe I was in the wrong place. The video will tell. My goal is Tokyo. I always said, if I lose before, so much the better !
"If it happens to me at the Games, believe me I would be upset"
You smile but deep down, are you not at a loss? Aren't you upset?
I can't be upset, I didn't take a box! I got started on my own. It happens to me in Paris, it doesn't matter. If this happens to me at the Games, believe me I would be offended, I would not be all smiles in front of you!
Do you regret your participation in this Grand Slam of Paris?
No, I always felt good in Paris. I had come to take information, to prepare myself but also to see where I was. I am being countered, but everything that has happened in this tournament is something positive. A lot was missing on this day, judo was there, maybe I lacked explosiveness, aggressiveness. The date was well chosen. So much the better that I lose here today (Editor's note: Sunday).
You had included losing a day, but are we really preparing for that moment?
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Since I was 15, I have been working on this with my psychologist, each time I step on the mat, I know that I can lose or win. I forced myself not to lose, I will not say that I gave this fight. But there it is. It was not my day.
"I want to mark the history of my sport a little more"
Why do you say you are overweight?
A weight, a pressure ... Counting the fights to go get the Yamashita (Editor's note: the Japanese Yasuhiro Yamashita who has chained 203 consecutive victories in the 1980s), it's heavy! I don't like to lose, but frankly it feels good. It's been 10 years since I hadn't made a mistake, what I can say to this Japanese guy, it's prepare well (laughs) because the objective is the Olympic Games.
How do you envisage the future?
With questioning and a lot of work. This defeat puts me in a new state of mind. For 10 years, I had this victory counter in my head, I held out as best I could ... I will be able to work without saying to myself: are you going to win so many more fights to approach the record? This record did not interest me more. Now, I only think in Tokyo, I want to mark the history of my sport even more. But hey Kageura (Editor's note: the Japanese who beat him), the next time I take it in competition or training, I run it!