Olympics-Judo-Four-time champion Riner hints at participation in 2028 Los Angeles Games
Adds Riner quotes
By Zhifan Liu
PARIS, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Teddy Riner is 35, he is judo's most decorated athlete at the Olympics and he claimed a record fourth gold on Friday but the Frenchman might not even be done yet.
Riner won the +100kg title against world number one Kim Min-jong of South Korea, making up for his quarter-final exit at the previous Olympics, when he had to settle for bronze.
He has six Olympic medals to his name across five Games and he might go for another one.
Riner, who lit the Paris 2024 cauldron with three-time Olympic champion Marie-Jose Perec, now holds the French Summer Olympics record of four titles after claiming individual golds at the London and Rio Games and a team title in Tokyo.
French swimmer Leon Marchand tied the record later on Friday when he won his fourth gold medal of the Paris Games, in the men's 200 individual medley final.
"I hope I'll go to Los Angeles 2028 but first I need to rest, to look at this medal, take the time with my family and then go back to training to prepare for the next step," Riner said.
Riner said winning a third Olympic title had been important to him.
"Of course I came to get this gold medal, it was a goal. For eight years, I have been told 'If you win the third one, you will make history'," said Riner.
PRESSURE TO DELIVER
His coach, Christian Chaumont, said he believed Riner would find the motivation to carry on.
"I think he could go until Los Angeles, of course, but he would need to manage his efforts because his body is getting tired," Chaumont told reporters.
"He will go for it if he still has that flame burning but for now, let's let him enjoy this medal."
While the support of the crowd helped Riner through tough moments, notably in his opening bout, the pressure to deliverwas huge at his home Games.
"He knew that he had no right to make mistakes. He had seen some of his teammates lose by small margins so he didn't want that to happen to him," Chaumont said.
"He was cautious (at the beginning of the tournament), so obviously when you're cautious, you don't produce your best."
Riner upped his level gradually and even Kim was without a solution against his opponent's reach and sudden moments of aggression.
"He's been at a high level for 20 years, with a couple of hiatus, but he's still there, he's a three-time (individual) Olympic champion," Chaumont said.
"He's writing history, it's impressive. He's always going to impress us."
Reporting by Julien Pretot;
Editing by Alison Williams and Clare Fallon
Ultime news
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