Paris (AFP)
World judo star Teddy Riner will return to competition in Canada at the Montreal Grand Prix (5-7 July), twenty months after his last fight, announced Thursday the French Judo Federation (FFJDA).
"The selection committee of the FFJUDO, gathered today, decided on the participation of Teddy Riner (+100 kg) at the next Grand Prix of Montreal (5-7 July)," writes the FFJDA in a statement.
The double Olympic champion in heavyweight title (30 years), who resumed training at the end of January after being granted a sabbatical year, has not fought in competition since mid-November 2017, in Marrakech (Morocco), theater of its tenth world title (eight in +100 kg, two in all categories).
Riner, unbeaten since September 2010 and 144 fights, will resume the competition at a little over a year of the Tokyo Games (July 24-August 9) where he will have the ambition to conquer a third Olympic title, after those of 2012 and 2016, never seen in heavyweight (+100 kg). Only the Japanese Tadahiro Nomura, in -60 kg, achieved such an achievement (1996, 2000, 2004).
Riner is not expected to compete at the 2019 World Championships in Tokyo at the end of August, but must compete in the mixed team event (on the Olympic program in 2020).
? 2019 AFP