The prospect is still distant, but if Teddy Riner pushes as he has suggested until the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the path will start in Paris. The five-time Olympic champion will participate in the prestigious Grand Slam in Paris on February 2, 2025, alongside several other medalists from the last Olympics, the French Judo Federation announced on Monday on its social networks.
Riner has not fought since the Paris Olympics this summer, where he won a legendary third Olympic heavyweight title (+100 kg) and a second team gold. At 35, he immediately expressed his desire to continue his career until 2028.
The Paris Grand Slam is an important event for him. Last year, he won there for the eighth time, a record. Clarisse Agbégnénou, who had to settle for individual bronze at the Paris Olympics after gold in Tokyo in 2021, also appears on the list unveiled by the Federation. But the six-time world champion appears in -70 kg, and not in her usual category of -63 kg.
The two leading figures of French judo will be accompanied by a large contingent, including several medalists from the Games, such as Romane Dicko (+78 kg) or Shirine Boukli (-48 kg), both in bronze this summer.
On the men’s side, surprise silver medalist Joan-Benjamin Gaba, one of the heroes of the team final against Japan, will also be present, as will Maxime-Gaël Ngayap Hambou (bronze in -90 kg) and Luka Mkheidze (silver in -60 kg).
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