At his birth, as they can in Japan, the parents of Kokoro Kageura chose the characters allowing to transcribe the first name of their son. They opted for the heart, not the organ but the sign of courage. The Japanese, second Japanese in the heavyweight category - behind Harasawa, finalist at the Rio Olympics - ended this Sunday ten years invincibility of Teddy Riner.
A revolution, a cataclysm. After 154 undefeated fights, the colossus fell. Franck Chambily, his trainer, cried. As crazy as it sounds, Riner was almost relieved. “Counting the fights to go get the Yamashita (Editor's note: the Japanese Yasuhiro Yamashita who had chained 203 consecutive victories in the 1980s) , it's heavy! drops the double Olympic champion. For ten years, I had this victory counter in my head, I held out as best I could ... "Even though" this record [did] not interest him! "
After the storm, Teddy Riner had lunch with his father and uncle, before returning home. Alone. "I'm not more disappointed, not sadder than that, I would even say that it makes me feel good," he repeated, still surrounded by his family, in this Parisian precinct that saw him fall.
"When I saw him fall, it made me very weird"
Had his mind changed when he woke up from a long nap? Because if it is certain that this famous counter, which everyone reminded him of the existence before each competition, had become a weight, a real burden, Teddy Riner is a proud man. "I don't like to lose," he said after his failure. He wants to rebound but will however have to digest, to deal with something that he had not known for nearly ten years.
He says he is prepared - "Since the age of 15, I work with my psychologist, every time I step on the mat, I know I can lose or win" - but no one really knows what will be reaction. And inevitably everyone will watch for more, a priori March 8 at the Grand Prix in Rabat. In the meantime, the champion will resume the path of Insep, after a Monday of rest. "I'm going to watch the video, question myself and work, work," insists Riner.
Franck Chambily is reassuring. "It's Teddy who loses (Editor's note: he was countered by trying Uchi-Mata, the Japanese then went behind his back to trap him) , even if his opponent was opportunistic, analyzes the coach. It is still growing in strength. And then, all records are made to be broken. Seeing a great champion fall, it touches everyone, when I saw him fall, it made me very weird, but that's how it is. The most important thing is to rebound, to get back in the saddle. "
The beginning of a decline?
Remains the ranking list, another counter, less prestigious than the record of victories but very useful when it will be necessary to approach the Olympic tournament, in six months in Tokyo. To spare himself an overly complicated picture, Riner had set himself up in the World Top 8, which he left a long time ago, due to a lack of competitions. It is certainly not vital to win gold in Tokyo but it can help. A gain of 2000 points (a victory in Grand Slam brings in 1000, in Grand Prix 700) before the Games, would necessarily bring him a dose of oxygen.
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But the essential may be elsewhere. A trotting question: will the reigning double Olympic champion, the one we thought invincible, be physically and technically able to go and get gold in Tokyo? Nobody wants to imagine that this defeat marks, perhaps, the decline of an immense figure of the tricolor sport. Especially not him. "Kageura (note: the Japanese who beat him) , the next time I take it in competition or training, I run it!" Laughs the ten-time world champion. The reconquest is underway.