"I find myself beautiful with this medal!" Teddy Riner does the show in the mixed zone ...

Teddy, how hard was it going back into action looking for a bronze medal?

Teddy Riner:

No. Frankly, when you know you won't get the gold, you say to yourself, "Go for it." These are the words that Frank said to me (Chambily, his trainer), to make me happy. He had the right words to re-engage me. In my record, a bronze medal in a normal competition, good… But there, an Olympic bronze medal, it has its weight, it is especially pleasant that I have come from very far away. I don't have the gold, but I am very proud of this medal. I will savor it because it was difficult. The injuries, the questioning, the defeat in Paris, all of this changed a lot of things. But honestly I think I came back to a great level.

To discover

• The full Olympic program

• The Olympic medal table

Is this the medal of resilience?

No, it is the medal of courage and pride.

It was necessary to tear off, it was not easy.

During this Olympiad, there were twists and turns, it was always the yo-yo.

(Showing his medal) But there it is.

Puree, it was difficult.

Fortunately I had a good staff who accompanied me, who carried me.

We must also learn to lose

Teddy Riner

What have the last complicated years brought you?

They made me grow as a man. As a father, the message that I will be able to bring to my children is just extraordinary. You also have to learn to lose. Today I learned. Now it will be the pleasure above all. I think I am beautiful with this medal and if I am not beautiful in your eyes, I know that my children will find me beautiful with this medal. Dad, when he left he said he was going to bring back the medal, and I will tell you, between bronze and gold, they will only see fire (laughs). "Ah, hold my son, the medal!"

What happens in this quarter-final lost against Russian Bashaev?

I tried to pull it off but my hand rips on his kimono.

Except that I have already started and I go back.

Thereupon, Bashaev rushed in when he was not attacking at the start.

But hey, I don't want to talk about a possible refereeing error or not.

All I remember is this medal.

I had to move on.

Were you able to re-engage right away?

I felt frustration but it was normal because it pissed off to tell me that I had the level to beat him and that I didn't.

Do you have any regrets about your preparation?

No, I did whatever it took to get the gold.

I have no regrets.

Here, thanks to you, I just found out why I was happy with this bronze medal.

If I had missed something, if I had the feeling that I had not done the right thing, there, yes, I would have been disgusted and I would have behaved differently in front of you.

But there, I did everything.

I trained like crazy, at night, on weekends, all the time.

When I see this medal I tell myself that I'm not too old

Teddy Riner

To have done all this for bronze, isn't it difficult?

You can't have everything in life.

You know, I dreamed of this third gold medal, so often.

I also saw myself without.

But to leave with this bronze medal, it is a pleasure.

Don't you feel too old for that?

(He poses with his medal) Too old?

(He kisses his medal).

If I had finished 5th, I would have told you yes.

But there, no, when I see this medal, I tell myself that I am not too old.

I have known world, European and Olympic gold.

And what do you want, at some point, it must have happened to me… And despite everything, “Bibiche” is still on the podium (laughs).

So I can only be proud of myself.

The regrets quickly passed.

Does this bronze medal make you want to be in Paris even more in three years?

God willing. No, but anyway, don't tell me about Paris now, I want to rest there. (Turns to his trainer) And you, I don't want to hear you say to me, "Hello Teddy, what are you doing?" Leave me alone (laughs). And you also need some rest, grandfather. Yes, Frank is a grandfather, I'll let you know (smile).

This Saturday, there is still a team event in which you will take part, and a medal to go and get…

I think we want gold. And I'm telling you, if I have three Olympic gold medals, you're going to hear me. But we know it will be difficult. If we manage to come away with a medal, we will all be very happy for the group. To tell oneself that those who failed individually come away with a medal, it's really important. Me, I am lucky to have had a fourth today, but I also want to look for one for my partners.