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Teddy Riner
Teddy Riner Cannes 2016.jpg
Riner in 2016
Personal information
Full name Teddy Pierre-Marie Riner
Nickname(s) Teddy Bear, Big Ted, Big Teddy
Born 7 April 1989 (age 36)
Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, France
Died Not recognized as a date. Years must have 4 digits (use leading zeros for years < 1000). (aged Error: Need valid year, month, day)
Occupation Judoka
Height 2.04 m
Weight 141 kg
Sport
Country  France
Sport Judo
Weight class +100 kg
Rank      6th dan black belt
Club Paris Saint-Germain
Turned pro 2007–
Coached by Christian Chaumont, Benoît Campargue
Achievements and titles
World finals Gold (2007, 2008, 2009,
Gold( 2010, 2011, 2013,
Gold( 2014, 2015, 2017,
Gold( 2017, 2023)
Regional finals Gold (2007, 2011, 2013,
Gold( 2014, 2016)
Olympic finals Gold (2012, 2016, 2024)
Medal record
Men's judo
Representing  France
Olympic Games
Gold 2012 London +100 kg
Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro +100 kg
Gold 2020 Tokyo Mixed team
Gold 2024 Paris +100 kg
Gold 2024 Paris Mixed team
Bronze 2008 Beijing +100 kg
Bronze 2020 Tokyo +100 kg
World Championships
Gold 2007 Rio de Janeiro +100 kg
Gold 2008 Levallois‑Perret Open
Gold 2009 Rotterdam +100 kg
Gold 2010 Tokyo +100 kg
Gold 2011 Paris +100 kg
Gold 2011 Paris Men's team
Gold 2013 Rio de Janeiro +100 kg
Gold 2014 Chelyabinsk +100 kg
Gold 2015 Astana +100 kg
Gold 2017 Budapest +100 kg
Gold 2017 Marrakesh Open
Gold 2023 Doha +100 kg
Silver 2010 Tokyo Open
Bronze 2017 Budapest Mixed team
European Championships
Gold 2007 Belgrade +100 kg
Gold 2011 Istanbul +100 kg
Gold 2013 Budapest +100 kg
Gold 2014 Montpellier +100 kg
Gold 2016 Kazan +100 kg
Silver 2010 Vienna Men's team
Silver 2011 Istanbul Men's team
Bronze 2014 Montpellier Men's team
World Masters
Gold 2010 Suwon +100 kg
Gold 2011 Baku +100 kg
Gold 2015 Rabat +100 kg
Gold 2021 Doha +100 kg
IJF Grand Slam
Gold 2009 Paris +100 kg
Gold 2010 Paris +100 kg
Gold 2011 Paris +100 kg
Gold 2012 Paris +100 kg
Gold 2013 Paris +100 kg
Gold 2019 Brasilia +100 kg
Gold 2022 Budapest +100 kg
Gold 2023 Paris +100 kg
Gold 2024 Paris +100 kg
Gold 2024 Antalya +100 kg
Gold 2024 Dushanbe +100 kg
IJF Grand Prix
Gold 2014 Jeju +100 kg
Gold 2015 Qingdao +100 kg
Gold 2015 Jeju +100 kg
Gold 2016 Samsun +100 kg
Gold 2017 Zagreb +100 kg
Gold 2019 Montreal +100 kg
World Juniors Championships
Gold 2006 Santo Domingo +100 kg
Gold 2008 Bangkok +100 kg
European Junior Championships
Gold 2006 Tallinn +100 kg
Bronze 2005 Zagreb +100 kg
Mediterranean Games
Gold 2009 Pescara +100 kg
Updated on 3 August 2024.

Teddy Pierre-Marie Riner (born 7 April 1989) is a famous French judo athlete. He is known for being one of the greatest judokas of all time. Teddy has won many gold medals in major competitions. He is a heavyweight judoka, meaning he competes in the heaviest weight class (over 100 kg).

He has won an amazing twelve gold medals at the World Judo Championships. This makes him the first and only judoka to achieve this. Teddy also has three Olympic gold medals in his individual event (2012, 2016, and 2024). He won two more Olympic gold medals with the French team in 2020 and 2024. He also earned two Olympic bronze medals in 2008 and 2020.

Teddy Riner was undefeated for almost ten years! He won 154 matches in a row between 2010 and 2020. This incredible winning streak ended in 2020 at the Paris Grand Slam.

About Teddy Riner

Teddy Riner was born on April 7, 1989. His birthplace was Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe, a French island in the Caribbean Sea. When he was very young, his family moved to Paris, France.

As a child, Teddy tried many sports. He played football, tennis, and basketball. But he loved judo the most. He said he liked judo because it is an individual sport. It was just him competing.

Teddy is very tall, standing at 2.04 meters (about 6 feet 8 inches). He weighs 141 kilograms (about 311 pounds). Because of his size and friendly nature, people often call him "Teddy Bear" or "Big Ted." He has a son and a daughter with his partner, Luthna Plocus.

Teddy's Judo Journey

Teddy Riner started his professional judo career in 2007. He first trained with the Levallois Sporting Club. Later, in 2017, he joined the famous Paris Saint-Germain club. His coaches are Christian Chaumont and Benoît Campargue.

Early Success and World Titles

Teddy Riner JO 2012
Teddy Riner in 2012

Teddy quickly showed his talent. In 2006, he won both the World and European junior titles. The next year, in 2007, he won a gold medal at the European Judo Championships. This happened just after his 18th birthday.

Later in 2007, he became the youngest senior world champion ever. He won the heavyweight (+100 kg) event at the World Judo Championships in Brazil. He beat a former Olympic champion, Kosei Inoue, on his way to gold.

Olympic Medals Begin

Teddy competed in his first Summer Olympics in 2008 in Beijing, China. He won a bronze medal in the men's heavyweight event. This was a great start to his Olympic journey. In December 2008, he won his second World Championship gold medal. This was in the Open weight Championships in France.

He continued his winning streak at the World Championships. He won his third world title in 2009 in the Netherlands. In 2010, he won another gold medal at the World Championships in Tokyo. He also took a silver medal in the open weight class that year.

2010 World Judo Championships - Final +100Kg - Riner defeating Tölzer
Riner defeating Tölzer in 2010 World Judo Championships

More European and World Golds

In 2011, Teddy won his second European gold medal in Turkey. That same year, he won another gold medal at the World Judo Championships in Paris. This made him the first male judoka to win five world titles! He also helped the French team win gold in the team event.

Olympic Champion

Teddy Riner achieved his dream at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. He won the gold medal in the men's heavyweight event. He beat Alexander Mikhaylin from Russia in the final match.

He successfully defended his Olympic heavyweight title at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He defeated Hisayoshi Harasawa in a tough final.

The Unbeaten Streak and Its End

Teddy Riner had an incredible winning streak. From October 2010 to February 2020, he was undefeated. He won 154 matches in a row! This amazing run lasted for almost ten years. His streak finally ended in 2020 at the Paris Grand Slam. He lost to Japanese judoka Kokoro Kageura.

Recent Olympic Triumphs

At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Teddy won another bronze medal in his weight class. He also helped the French team win a gold medal in the mixed team event.

Teddy Riner made history again at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. He was one of two people chosen to light the Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremony. This was a huge honor! He then went on to win his third individual Olympic gold medal in the over 100 kg class. He beat Kim Min-jong from South Korea in the final. This achievement tied him with Japan's Tadahiro Nomura for the most individual judo Olympic golds.

The very next day, Teddy helped the French team win another gold medal in the mixed team event. They faced Japan in a thrilling final. Teddy won his crucial match, helping France secure the victory. This was his fifth Olympic gold medal overall!

Awards and Special Recognitions

Teddy Riner has received many awards for his amazing achievements:

  • 2011: He was named RTL Champion of Champions. This is a special sports award from a French radio network.
  • 2012: He also won the L'Équipe Champion of Champions award in France.
  • 2013: He was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour. This is a very high award in France.
  • 2016: He became an Officer of the National Order of Merit. This is another important French honor.
  • 2024: At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Teddy had a special role. He was one of two people who lit the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Teddy Riner para niños

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