World Championships – Relive the day of Teddy Riner, crowned world champion for the 11th time

Final: Inal Tasoev (AIN) – Teddy Riner

Teddy Riner scared himself, but ended up winning the 11th world title of his career against Russian Inal Tasoev, who fought with a neutral kimono. The 2021 European champion thought he had won the victory on a … almost waza-ari. But it was the “king of the heavyweights” who ended up delivering the fatal blow to the golden score, after nine minutes of combat. Much more laborious than his half, shipped in 27 seconds. But damn promising a little over a year from the Paris Olympics. His last big challenge.

Semi-final: Temur Rakhimov (TAD) – Teddy Riner

Temur Rakhimov didn’t expect this…and neither did we, to be honest. Hooked in the round of 16 and in the quarter, winner thanks to the penalties inflicted on his opponents, Riner is, for a few moments, again become the great Teddy. He only needed one attack to win against the current world number one. If his two previous duels went far in the golden score, putting his physique to the test, this time the Frenchman, ten times world champion, offered himself a demonstration in 30 seconds flat. Here he is in the final against Inal Tasoev (from 5 p.m.) for an 11th world title!

Quarter-final: Tasturu Saito (JAP) – Teddy Riner

Another big fight, another great battle and another qualification for the golden score. Riner perfectly controlled the Japanese Saito, son of the legendary double Olympic champion, to open the way to the semi-finals. As in his previous fights, the Frenchman first physically dominated his opponent who ended up giving in by refusing the fight. Like Tsetsentsengel before him, Saito picked up three penalties after eight minutes of the fight. Riner, never really in danger, therefore takes the vice-world champion out of the picture and continues his beautiful day.

Round of 16: Odkhuu Tsetsentsengel (MON) – Teddy Riner

This time, it took more than 7 minutes of combat and some cold sweats for Teddy Riner to defeat Odkhuu Tsetsentsengel. Fourth in the world over 100 kgs and winner of the last Grand Slam in Tel Aviv, the Mongol has long been a problem for the ten-time world champion until he pushed him to the golden score. Tsetsentsengel ended up breaking down physically and refusing the fight. Sanctioned three times, he left the field open to Riner, qualified for the quarter-finals of the Worlds. But how hard it was for this first real test of the day.

2nd round: Kacper Szczurowski (POL) – Teddy Riner

Faced with a very mobile, faster and much lighter opponent who has just moved up in the category, Teddy Riner had to be patient. Dynamic, Kacper Szczurowski tried many often unsuccessful attacks then, worn out by the physical density of the Frenchman, fled the fight. If he got a little frustrated, Riner waited until the last minute and the third penalty imposed on his opponent to continue the adventure. No ippon this time but a logical qualification all the same. His opponent in the next round, the Mongol Odkhuu Tsetsentsengel, could pose more difficulties for him. Ranked 4th in the world in the category, he won the Grand Slav in Tel Aviv in February.

1st round: Vladut Simionescu (ROU) – Teddy Riner

It took just over two minutes (2’13” exactly) of combat for Teddy Riner to knock out Vladut Simoniescu, 25th in the world, in the first round. A deft change of direction followed by a sasae allowed the Frenchman to return in the best possible way to his world championship with a victory over ippon. Penalized very quickly by two shidos after a very sluggish start to the fight, Riner did not panic against the Romanian colossus of 135 kgs. His day started well He will face in the next round the Polish Kacper Szczurowski, who has just moved up in the category of +100 kg.