VILLEPINTE, France — 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, 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.
“Winning in individual is all about you, your guts and your staff,” Riner said according to Reuters.
“Here it is us, it is for them, and that’s what make me really proud, it’s to see them in tears, with a smile, to see the youngsters blossom.”
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.
On the floor with Saito, the exhausted Riner lay on his back and slowly raised his right arm into the air, as the rest of the French delegation rushed to celebrate with the judoka and the team on the bench.
“I was watching (Riner) on TV and he’s still here. He brings us the decisive point. I thank him for that, to have been here with us at the team event,” said 23-year-old Gaba.
“I like this kid, he’s a warrior, a fighter,” Riner responded. “If he keeps working like this, you will see, he will get his gold medal.”
A surprise silver medallist in the under 73kg class, Gaba had earlier taken out Hifumi Abe, a double Olympic champion in the under 66kg, in an intense bout to get France back to only 3-2 down.
That win marked the moment the momentum shifted.
Paris 2024 bronze medallist Clarisse Agbegnenou fed off Gaba’s energy and won her match against Miku Takaichi to even the score.
“When I saw his determination, I told myself I could not let him down here. He gave me the baton and it’s up to me to pass it afterwards,” Agbegnenou said.
For the last fight, the French judoka were jumping and screaming advice and encouragement to Riner on the tatami, while the Japanese team stood still.
At the end of the fight, Saito, who lost five fights in two days, was disconsolate and Abe was in tears.
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.
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