By Zhifan Liu
PARIS (Reuters) – Teddy Riner won the decisive bout against Japan’s Tatsuru Saito in a moment of great drama to give France the judo mixed team title at the Paris Games on Saturday, earning him a national record-equalling fifth Olympic gold medal.
Three years after leading France to victory over Japan at the Budokan in Tokyo, Riner again led the way as France fought back from 3-1 down to retain the title 4-3 in front of a frenetic partisan crowd at the Champ-de-Mars Arena.
More than 6,000 fans packed into the arena belted out “La Marseillaise” and waved tricolour flags as their judokas battled their way back to tie up the scores at 3-3 after the regulation six bouts.
The crowd and the 12 judoka on the tatami turned to the big screens as a lottery was held to determine which gender and weight class would face off in the golden point tiebreaker.
A huge roar went up as the screens displayed “+90kg”, meaning Riner, the home favourite, was to take on his rival Saito again to decide the title.
The French team immediately gathered around Riner to encourage the 2.03 meter titan, with Joan-Benjamin Gaba hitting his teammate’s chest with his forehead.
Riner had earlier beaten Saito by ippon to give France their first point of the final and the exhausted fighters battled again for six minutes and 26 seconds before Riner managed to take down the Japanese heavyweight.
Gaba, the surprise silver medallist in the under 73kg class, had earlier taken out Hifumi Abe, the double Olympic champion in under 66kg, in an intense bout to get France back to only 3-2 down.
Brazil and South Korea both won bronze medals.
Riner joined biathlete Martin Fourcade, who won his titles at the Sochi and Pyeongchang Winter Games in 2014 and 2018, at the top of the list of most decorated French Olympians.
Fencers Philippe Cattiau and Roger Ducret won fewer golds but had eight podium finishes in the 1920 and 30s. Riner and Fourcade have won seven medals each.
Riner has now competed at five Olympics and on Friday hinted at the possibility he might take part in a sixth at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
On Friday, after Riner won the over 100kg category title, Fourcade referred to the judoka as “Le grand monsieur” of French sport and Riner proved him right on Saturday.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot and Zhifan Liu; Editing by Ken Ferris and Hugh Lawson)
Comments