RINER Teddy

Belt grade
Black belt - VI. DAN (ijf.org, 09 Feb 2019)

Preferred techniques
Osoto-gari (IJF, 17 Jul 2016)

General
LOSSES INSPIRE WEIGHT LOSS
In 2019 he returned from an 18-month break from the sport, and in February 2020 he was defeated for the first time since 2010 by Kokoro Kageura of Japan, and then again by Joseph Terhec at the French national team championships. He said the two losses were a wake-up call ahead of the Olympic Games in Tokyo. "I asked myself what I really wanted. Am I going to Tokyo just to make up the numbers, or do I find a new way of working to set things straight?" He changed his diet, and lost 26 kilograms. "I haven't weighed this light since the London [2012] Games. Frankly, I feel like I'm getting younger. I really worked on all aspects, whether mental, physical, technical, judo, nutrition. Sometimes I may have forgotten in the past these little things, which resulted in these defeats. I've reset everything and really worked on all aspects and this is the result. I am 139 kilos today [January 2021], I am very happy. It allows me to be faster [on the mat]." (olympics.com, 21 Jan 2021; olympics.com, 23 Aug 2020)

BROKEN STREAK
In February 2020 his undefeated run of 154 straight wins, stretching back to 2010, came to an end when he was defeated by ippon by Japanese judoka Kokoro Kageura in the third round of the Paris Grand Slam in France. His reaction to the defeat was philosophical. "If this happens at the [2020 Olympic] Games I'll be annoyed. Better this happens now than then. This will allow me to work even more for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. My career is already behind me, so I'm not too disappointed about it. I am proud of what I did, but after 10 years [undefeated], it is really heavy on your shoulders. And for Tokyo, I really need to have the least possible pressure. So now it's clearly less weight on my shoulders." (AFP, 11 Feb 2020; lci.fr, 09 Feb 2020; olympics.com, 23 Aug 2020)

COVID IMPACT
He said the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic affected his ability to train in Japan, where he previously liked to base himself ahead of major competitions. "Since we've been unable to travel and thus participate in training camps abroad with heavyweights, it's a handicap, In France, the chances to face heavyweights is quite limited since there are only two in training. It becomes problematic. But this is how life is. We have to bounce back and find solutions. For now, I have not brought in anyone for sparring, but I will go to find competition, wherever it is." (olympics.com, 21 Jan 2021)

FROM GUADELOUPE TO FRANCE
He was born in the French overseas territory Guadeloupe. His parents, brother and two sisters all moved to Paris in mainland France when he was a baby. (liberation.fr, 10 Feb 2007; Nouvel Observateur, 25 Aug 2011)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
He was chosen as the president of the International Judo Federation Athletes' Commission in September 2013. He is also the chairman of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Athletes Committee. (insidethegames.biz, 01 Sep 2013; judoinside.com, 22 May 2016)

He won his eighth gold medal at the world championships in 2017, surpassing the previous record for most world championship gold medals [seven] set by female Japanese judoka Tani Ryoko in 2007. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Jul 2021)

At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro he became the second French judoka, after David Douillet, to win two Olympic gold medals, and the third French judoka to win three Olympic medals of any colour. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Jul 2021)

At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, he became the youngest French judoka to win an Olympic medal when he claimed bronze at age 19 years and 130 days. His gold medal at the 2012 Games in London at age 23 years and 118 days made him the second youngest French judoka to win an Olympic gold medal. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Jul 2021)