Still far from his best level after a nasty ankle injury, Teddy Riner went looking for Sunday February 5 at Bercy a seventh title at the prestigious Paris Judo Grand Slam, at a year and a half Olympic Games at home.
In the final of more than 100 kilos against the Japanese Hyoga Ota, the Frenchman was declared the winner on penalties, pushed by the boiling public of the Accor Arena. “I did not show extraordinary judo,” admitted the 33-year-old colossus. “But I didn’t come to show anything, I just came to win (…) The old man is back!”
After a forced break due to injuryRiner was playing his first Grand Slam in Paris since his victory in the Budapest final in July 2022, a tournament which then marked his return to international competition after a long post-Tokyo Olympics break.
But his recovery had been turned upside down by severe right ankle sprain contracted in August during a training camp in Morocco when an opponent fell on him. He was then forced to forfeit the Worlds in October in Uzbekistan, before returning to competition in November with his club PSG in the final of the Champions League by teams.
