This is the umpteenth great return of the king to his throne. At 34 years old, Teddy Riner won this Saturday, in Doha, Qatar, the eleventh world title of his career. After a six-year absence from the World Championships, the Frenchman defeated Russia's Inal Tasoev in the final, by the golden score, to reaffirm his dominance over world judo. An eleventh title, sixteen years after his first in 2007. Back on the eleven crowns of a legend of the tricolor sport.
2007 - The Youngest King
This is the year of revelation for the 2006 European and World Junior Champion. At only 18 years old, freshly European senior champion, he became the youngest world heavyweight champion in history, in Rio. As a bonus, he offers himself the Japanese star Kosei Inoue. The stage is set. He was promised an even more beautiful career than that of David Douillet.
Teddy Riner in Rio in 2007, no stars on the kimono. Icon Sport/Diener Diener / Icon Sport
2008 - Consolation after Beijing
After his lightning explosion, the heavyweight was the favorite for Olympic gold in Beijing but only won bronze. In need of exploits, he participates in the Worlds all categories, in Levallois-Perret, and adorns himself with gold. Riner saw the medal he won at the end of December as a "Christmas present."
2009 - The double "without doubt"
On the eve of the Olympiad that will take him to London, Riner has one goal in the back of his mind: to remain undefeated until the 2012 Olympics. A biceps injury in the spring did not prevent him from adding a second world heavyweight title, the third overall, at the expense of Cuba's Oscar Brayson. "Today, I didn't doubt," Riner said. These Worlds are the first of a new era: from now on, the planetary event will take place every year and no longer every two years.
2010 - In Japan, from gold to bitterness
Having become the man to beat, Riner is becoming increasingly rare to avoid revealing himself. But in the land of judo, he aims for two crowns in one week, in +100 kg and in all categories. Everything goes well in heavyweight: he chains the ippons, except in the final against the German Andreas Tölzer (yuko). With four world titles, he became the equal of Naoya Ogawa, Shozo Fujii, Yasuhiro Yamashita and David Douillet. At only 21 years old. "This title has a special flavor because it's in Japan," Riner says. A few days later, it is bitterness that prevails when he is declared loser in the final all categories to the benefit of the Japanese Daiki Kamikawa, yet not very combative, by decision of the referees.
Winner in +100 kg, Teddy Riner lost in all categories at the 2010 World Championships, against Daiki Kamikawa. Icon Sport/Soenar Soenar / Icon Sport
2011 - In Paris, revenge and record
His defeat in Japan - remained since his last - still in the throat, Riner wants his revenge in Paris, in the den of Bercy. He multiplies the ippons, until the final, once again against Tölzer. On a cloud, he enters history: he becomes, among the men, the first judoka five times world champion. "Now we're going to dream of the Games," he says.
2013 - Back to Rio, where it all began
The conquest of the coveted Olympic title in London did not dampen his motivation. "A man of challenges", as defined by his coach at Insep Franck Chambily, Riner wants to accumulate records and intends to trust all the world titles on the road to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. It is precisely in Rio, where it all began for him in 2007, that the Brazilian campaign opens. His preparation is disturbed (pubalgia, then left shoulder) but the ippons are still at the rendezvous. Even against Brazil's Rafael Silva in the final, in an overheated Maracazinho. Riner continues to drive up his stock counter: here it is at six. "Days like this, I hope there will be many more!" the judoka dreams.
2014 - Still sacred but frustrated
His season is eventful: Riner is operated on the left shoulder in September 2013, does not resume training until mid-November, becomes father of a little Eden in April, and chains physical glitches. When he arrives in Russia, in Chelyabinsk, he has only one competition in his legs. His day is nevertheless punctuated by serial ippons. Until the final against Japan's Ryu Shichinohe, who threw himself on the ground to defend each of his opponent's attacks. Riner gets away with it but doesn't like it. "When you see in the world final a fighter kneeling, refusing to fight, it's annoying. I would have liked to express myself properly, I was prevented from doing so a little. I say it, I'm frustrated. »
2015 - The Big Eight
Riner underwent another operation, this time on his right elbow, and then injured a toe. But he has a date with history: he wants to become the most successful judoka at the Worlds, men and women combined. So he works hard and offers himself an unprecedented eighth title, again at the expense of Shichinohe. But in Astana (Kazakhstan), the sensations are not there. "It was a bit of a race against time," Riner recalls. But "I mark my territory, I don't count and I'm not going to stop there." One year before the Rio Games, the message is crystal clear.
Teddy Riner toppled Juhan Mettis to win his eighth title in 2015. Icon Sport/Soenar Soenar / Icon Sport
2017 - Nine in Budapest, ten in Marrakech
His mission accomplished in Rio, Riner takes the time to breathe. Five months of vacation that earned him to reach "unparalleled heights" on the scale when he returned to training in early January. A painful shin and a recalcitrant elbow forced him to approach the Worlds in Budapest at the end of the summer. The heavyweight has not fought since his victorious Olympic final more than a year earlier. But nothing stops the Riner steamroller. Nor in the Hungarian capital, where he nevertheless had a scare against the promising Georgian Guram Tushishvili in the semifinals. Nor in Marrakech two months later, at the Worlds in all categories, where he won a historic tenth world crown.
2023 - To the mind, the eleventh star
At the end of one of the most difficult days of his career, Riner added an eleventh star to his kimono, six years after his last appearance. To get by, Riner mainly relied on his psychological resources. "No rhythm all day, so what do we use? That's all that's left is the mind," he says. A mental that allowed him to beat in the quarterfinals the new Japanese sensation Tatsuru Saito then the world number 1, Tajik Temur Rakhimov, and finally in the final, after 7 minutes 42 of fight, the Russian Inal Tasoev. A good omen with just over a year to go before the Olympics at home.
Teddy Riner won his eleventh title on Saturday. AFP/Karim Jaafar AFP or licensors