Tokyo (AFP)
The French Teddy Riner, who was in search of a third consecutive Olympic title in the +100 kg, was beaten in the quarter-finals on Friday in Tokyo by the Russian Tamerlan Bashaev and will only be able to win a bronze medal at best. .
In a fight he seemed to master against the world No.1, Riner was countered in overtime and beaten on waza-ari.
In the afternoon, he will have to win two fights to hope for bronze.
Sacred Olympic champion in London in 2012 and Rio in 2016, Riner hoped to obtain a third gold medal in Tokyo, a feat achieved by the only Japanese Tadahiro Nomura, crowned in 1996, 2000 and 2004 in the -60 kg category.
Riner had already won a bronze medal in 2008 in Beijing.
On Friday, Riner started his tournament with a quick victory by ippon over the beaten Austrian Stephan Hegyi in just over two minutes.
In the next round, Riner was more hampered by the Israeli Or Sasson, who had been his victim in the semi-finals of the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Sasson then finally won a bronze medal.
At first balanced, the fight turned in favor of the French in its second part and Riner won thanks to a waza-ari.
In the quarterfinals, facing the small Bashaev (1.75m), whom he had beaten four times out of four, the Guadeloupe controlled the fight and the Russian, who competes under a neutral banner because of the doping sanctions affecting his country , was in danger with already two penalties.
But one against him was enough to score waza-ari.
For his draft fight, Riner will face Brazilian Rafael Silva.
If he wins, he will play a fight for the bronze medal against one of the losers of the semi-finals.
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