A few weeks after his seventh victory in the Paris Grand Slam, judoka Teddy Riner flew to Brazil to participate in an intensive course for a few days. The ten-time French world champion must challenge the best jiu-jitsu fighters in order to improve his ground fighting technique in preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Teddy Riner has settled in Brazil, more precisely in the Flamengo club in order to carry out an intensive training course there. Accompanied by his trainer Franck Chambily, the French judoka, who recently won his seventh title at the Paris Grand Slam, challenged himself to perfect his ground fighting technique by going to challenge the best jiu-jitsu fighters in the world, in other words, the Brazilians.
Exclusive to the show Europe 1 Sport (every evening from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.), Teddy Riner justifies this choice: “When you work and that’s why I come here, I work with guys who do jiu-jitsu. They have over and over ways to get ippons so every time I learn new tricks. There are things they show me that I don’t take. But there are details that I will take. I try to see how they move, how to be better.” The ten-time world judo champion must stay on site from Monday to Thursday, four days of training.
Brazil lovers
Reassured by his victory at the Paris Grand Slam after beating the Japanese Hyoga Ota in the final, Teddy Riner wishes to continue this good comeback on the tatami. Anyone who hopes to be back 100% for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, takes advantage of this presence in Rio de Janeiro to reminisce about good memories. “It is the country where I have had the most victories. Two world titles and an Olympic title. In addition, I have been a flag bearer here so it is a special country, it is a country that I love where I like to come. It has a special place in my head, in my heart”, he recalls.
World champion in 2007 then in 2013, Olympic champions in 2016, Brazil is a land of success for the judoka of the France team. “I’m having fun. Even in suffering, I find positive points to progress”, concludes the current 6th in the world ranking of the +100 kg category. Teddy Riner’s priority objective is now set: Paris 2024. Teddy Riner hopes to win his third Olympic title in front of his home crowd.