Teddy Riner

A giant with speed

Teddy Riner was born in Guadeloupe and grew up in Paris, where he started judo as a child. Standing over two metres tall, he combined size with unusual speed and grip skills. He won his first senior world title in 2007 at just 18, becoming the youngest male world champion at the time.

Records

Riner has won more individual world championship titles than any other judoka, a total of 11, and Olympic gold medals in the over-100 kg category in London 2012, Rio 2016 and Paris 2024, plus team golds in Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. From around 2010 to February 2020 he went unbeaten for 154 matches, an extraordinary streak in a sport where one throw can end a match.

Paris 2024

At the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Riner and sprinter Marie-Jose Perec lit the Olympic cauldron. Days later he won his third individual Olympic gold in front of a home crowd, then helped France win the mixed team event. He is one of the most decorated French athletes in Olympic history.

Did you know?

Riner's unbeaten streak ended in February 2020 at the Paris Grand Slam, when Japan's Kokoro Kageura beat him, a result that shocked the judo world. He later returned to win gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics at the Champ de Mars Arena. Off the mat he has supported children's charities, and he is a hero for judo clubs across France, which has one of the largest judo memberships of any country outside Japan.

What to learn from his judo

Riner's matches show the importance of grip fighting, the battle for control of the opponent's jacket before any throw. He also uses patience and pressure to force errors. Beginners can learn from watching how he keeps a strong posture and moves in balance. Judo clubs worldwide teach these basics from the first lesson.

Learn techniques only from a qualified instructor in a supervised class, with proper equipment and a partner who knows what to expect.

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