At the dawn of proposing a 2nd Riner Cup of the name, on November 15 and 16 in Clichy, which he wants to be even more significant than the first, Teddy Riner does not yet know, however, when he will be able to resume competition. The French star, currently only focused on his event, must first work on reducing his weight.
News from Teddy Riner (36 years old)… While waiting to return to the tatamis, but without knowing when yet, the French champion has only one thing in mind: this second edition of this Riner Cup so dear to him. The competition remains in Hauts-de-Seine, but leaves Asnières, where it had its debut last April, to take up residence at the Clichy Hall in Clichy-la-Garenne the weekend of November 15 and 16. For this second opus of this event which this year will concern the juniors (Saturday) and the cadets (Sunday), the triple Olympic individual champion expects many more participants (Editor’s note: There should be more than a thousand registered) and sees even bigger.
“You remember, it started from the idea of giving back to little judokas, to amateurs, to those who train every day in their club but do not necessarily want to have a high-level career (…) Put them in the spotlight for a weekend,” recalls the Guadeloupean in
The Teamwith the deliberate desire to play Santa Claus before his time for all these young people of whom he is undoubtedly the idol, in addition to once again being in charge of the draw in person. “I want to make everyone enjoy it. May each person who comes leave with stars, happy to have sweated, happy to have participated,” continues Riner, without revealing everything. “There will be people. I want to keep some gray areas so that there are “Oh! » of “Ah! » »
One thing is certain: the show will be there once again (and even more so, with a room that can accommodate even more people). Gray areas, the hero of the Paris 2024 Olympics, the date of his final outing with the judogi of the French team, also keeps some in mind regarding his big return to competition. Except that in this area, he does not hold all the cards. Everything will depend on how his weight changes over the next few weeks. The best heavyweight on the planet, who has started a new training block, nevertheless admits that he is working hard on it.
Riner: “Before 2028, there will be at least one World Cup”
“As long as the weight does not go down, there is no competition, so for the moment, I cannot even tell you (…) We are busy on the descent”, confides Riner, whose last outing dates back to December 21, 2024 during the Champions League by mixed teams won with his club PSG when he had decided to participate in the event only twenty-four hours before this one, just after having extended his contract under the colors Parisians.
The native of Pointe-à-Pitre could still be there on November 22 in Belgrade. “I still have a federal license, the ball is in their court,” says the person concerned, who obviously dreams above all of being able to play in the last Games, in 2028 in Los Angeles, and to make an impression there one last time. “I want to go, it’s going to be my sixth Games, there’s a way to get two more medals.”
Riner, who still gives himself until 2029, would also see himself further increasing his prize list, he who already has eleven world championship titles. Without considering participating in all editions (Editor’s note: The meeting will take place every year between now and 2028). “There will not be four or five world titles, but before 2028, there will be at least one,” promises the man who will have to find a new coach. But above all, we will cross our fingers beforehand so that this Riner Cup 2nd of the name is a hit.
