By Guillaume K. | Sports journalist
Teddy Riner is perhaps the greatest judoka in history, having won titles for more than 10 years now. But if he had never been on a tatami mat, what would he have done with his life? He named four sports that caught his attention.
There are people on this planet who are made to play sport at a very high level, and France has several of these specimens. In the small world of MMA for example, Ciryl Gane stands out as a rare physical phenomenon. He is 1m93 tall, weighs more than 110 kilos, but is capable of dunking like a professional basketball player. If he didn’t like fighting, Bon Gamin could have shined on the court.
Speaking of basketball, Victor Wembanyama, who measures 2m24, was born to go to the NBA and establish himself as one of the best players in history. And for Teddy Riner too the choice was logical thanks to his measurements. With his 2m04, his 143 kilos and above all his crazy grip, not getting into judo would have been a huge mistake.
Teddy Riner honest about what he would have done without judo
But if, unfortunately, he had never found his way to tatami mats, could he have taken up another discipline? The question was asked to him during his visit to Konbiniand obviously, he would have liked to try several disciplines. The only problem is that the one he loves the most doesn’t love him back because of his looks.
If I hadn’t chosen judo, I would have done basketball, football or tennis. I tried Formula 1 and everything that revolves around driving, but actually my body wouldn’t allow me to do it. It’s dead for me to get into an F1 car. Impossible, even a rally car I tried and I couldn’t fit. The seat must be removed. But from the moment I don’t have security, it’s bye-bye.
Because he has an extraordinary physique, Teddy Riner could not replace judo with any sport. The proof is that he tried to get into the automotive disciplines, but he didn’t fit into a Formula 1 seat or a rally car. The seat would have had to be removed, to the detriment of safety, and that is out of the question for the multiple Olympic champion.
To choose, he would therefore have used his 2m04 height on a basketball court, where he would have been a player among the others, or on a football field. Imagine the threat he would represent in the head game… Finally, Teddy Riner cited tennis as a last viable option, a discipline in which his size would notably be an advantage when serving.
Teddy Riner has a perfect physique for judo, and that’s good, he decided to become one of the greatest judokas in history. If he failed, he could have tried a career change in basketball, football or tennis.
