While he claims to be focused on Paris 2024 and the quest for a third Olympic title, Teddy Riner has not ruled out the idea of continuing his career until the Olympic Games organized in Los Angeles in 2028.
But where will Teddy Riner stop? Crowned world champion ten times in the over 100kg, the native of Pointe-à-Pitre has twice won the Olympic title in his category. After bronze in Beijing in 2008 for his first Olympic Games, he brought back gold from London in 2012 before repeating it in Rio de Janeiro four years later. In Tokyo, after a preparation disrupted by a right knee injury, the leader of the French judo team settled for bronze before leading the Blues to the mixed team title.
While he will be 35 years old at the time of Paris 2024, which could be the last big challenge of his career, Teddy Riner wanted to maintain doubts about his intentions for the future. Recently interviewed as part of the “Canal Sports Club” program broadcast this Saturday on Canal+the Habs said that 2024 will not be the end of the road. “When I see how I behave, how I assimilate training and travel, it’s not sure that I’ll stop in 2024, it’s even safer that I continue”he confided.
🗨️ “There’s no reason for me to stop. For the moment we are on 2024, but 2028, I did not say no! »@teddyriner announces that he would like to tread the tatamis until the Los Angeles Olympics 💪🥇 pic.twitter.com/hWL1MTElOX
— CANAL+ Sport (@CanalplusSport) March 4, 2023
Riner: “2028, I didn’t say no”
The question is to know what will be the limit that Teddy Riner will set himself. After raising the idea during an interview with the daily The Parisianthe Guadeloupean confirms that he is thinking about the fact that Paris 2024 will not be his last Olympic Games. “2028, I didn’t say no”, he confided about the deadline which will take place in Los Angeles in a little more than five years. Words that come as Teddy Riner made his return to competition at the beginning of February on the occasion of the Paris Grand Slam, in front of his audience at the Accor Arena.
Winner of the tournament when he claimed to be only « 60 or 70% » of his abilities, the ten-time world champion could create a surprise by extending his career for a new Olympiad. Teddy Riner would then be 39 years old when entering the tatami which will be installed in the Pauley Pavillion of the University of California in Los Angeles in July 2028. What possibly give cold sweats to his rivals for a good while yet. However, there is still a long time to reach California.
