Double Olympic champion & 10x world champion Teddy Riner (FRA) is the greatest ever heavyweight and a strong candidate for greatest Judoka of all time.
At 2.04 m and 140kg, he is a physical specimen, but has developed that body due to a strict strength and conditioning routine that was partially uncovered in this article:
Inside Look Into Teddy Riner’s Work out Routine That Makes Him Unbeatable
In this year’s Olympics, Teddy Riner lost to Russian Judoka Tamerlan Bashaev in the quarterfinals. Riner managed to win a bronze medal, but the 10-time world champion heavyweight seemed okay with the result.
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Riner stated after the loss:
”I’m very proud to have a fourth medal. I think everybody knows the Olympic Games is difficult for everyone. I’m not disappointed. I’m very happy with the journey I went on. It has been difficult, but the Olympics is the dream of all sportsmen. When you arrive, it’s just amazing. This is the reason to work every day, every minute.”
Riner entered the Olympics unseeded because of prolonged inactivity but was to get two impressive wins to reach the quarterfinals of the games.
Against the Russian Bashaev in the quarter finals, Riner lost by waza-ari on a Sumi-otoshi throw.
For his future, the 32 year old Riner stated:
“The team competition, maybe another gold for me? And then Paris, ’24, I will prepare. And then after, I close the book.”
