Teddy Riner wins his 11th world title, Julia Tolofua in silver

Gold and silver day for French judokas at the Doha Worlds, this Saturday, May 13. Returning to the World Championships after a six-year absence, Frenchman Teddy Riner won his 11th world crown in the +100 kg final against Russian Inal Tasoev. Julia Tolofua, the other Habs qualified for the +78 kg final, won silver against the Japanese Akira Sone.

With more than twenty minutes spent on the tatami in the previous rounds, the Frenchman appeared in the final against the Russian Inal Tasoev, competing under a neutral flag. In a hotly contested fight against a formidable opponent on the counter, Riner was pushed into overtime and came close to defeat on a good move from his opponent after seven minutes of the fight. But he finally knocked down the Russian seconds later by waza-ari to clinch his eleventh world crown.

” It wasn’t easy, I think it’s one of the biggest days of my entire career. I haven’t had a rhythm all day, so what do we use? The mind, that’s all that’s left Riner said after his victory. With this coronation, he brings France a second title in this edition of the Worlds, after that of Clarisse Agbégnénou in -63 kgand a seventh medal in total for the French clan.

The path to this new coronation was not drawn in advance for Teddy Riner, since he was not seeded at the start of the competition and had to go through a first round against the Romanian Vladut Simionescu, 25th global. Despite a sluggish fight during which the two judokas received two penalties, Riner finally sent his opponent to the ground at the edge of the mat 1 minute 47 seconds from the end of regulation time.

In the second round, he had dominated the Polish Kacper Szczurowski following a triple penalty after 3 minutes and 12 seconds of combat. In the round of 16, he also won on penalties against the Mongol Tsetsentsengel Odkhuu, 4th in the world in the +100 kg category and winner in February of the Grand Slam in Tel Aviv. In the quarter-finals, Riner then won the clash against the impressive Japanese Tatsuru Saito, vice-world champion, by cracking his opponent on penalties during extra time. He then dispatched his semi-final against Tajik Temur Rakhimov, world number 1 in the category, after just 27 seconds by inflicting a devastating harai-goshi on him.

Double individual Olympic champion and now crowned with an 11th world title, the objective is above all perfectly fulfilled for Riner, the most successful judoka in history in his category, who came to Qatar to gauge himself against the best opponents. one year from the Paris Olympics, probably the ultimate challenge of his career.

Julia Tolofua in silver in +78 kg

For the first world final of her career, Julia Tolofua showed a lot of patience in +78 kg against the Japanese Akira Sone, Olympic champion in 2021 in Tokyo. But after having worn out the Japanese thanks to her size, during an interminable fight of eleven minutes, the Habs finally let the world title escape by bowing on a third penalty after more than seven minutes of overtime. Already a bronze medalist last year, she brings a third silver medal to France during these Worlds.

” A silver medal is not nothing. I would have preferred to have gold like everyone else but I still have a good day, I go to the end and I make a good golden score. I’m happy, but we always want more. I will savor this medal and I hope to have the title next time “, she said after the fight.

Well launched after a thunderous start to the day, the Frenchwoman had dominated in the quarter-finals the reigning vice-world champion, the Brazilian Beatriz Souza, beaten by ippon in 1 minute 40 seconds. In the semi-finals, she had taken the Chinese Xu Shiyan to overtime before beating her by waza-ari. ” Julia had a thunderous start to the day by also beating the vice-world champion in the quarter-finals and being released “Commented his trainer Christophe Massina.

In the same category, the French Romane Dicko, yet reigning world champion and world number one, was eliminated as soon as she entered the running.

(With AFP)