French judo star Teddy Riner eyes Olympic record in Paris
The 35-year-old Riner, twice a gold medallist in the heavyweight category and a winner of the mixed team event, has revolutionised the sport in which he is also a record 11-time world champion.
He will be appearing at his fifth Olympics, having won individual bronze on his debut in 2008 in Beijing. After winning gold in London and Rio de Janeiro, Riner came up short in his bid to win a historic third consecutive +100kg title in Tokyo, settling for another bronze.
Lucien Gaudin and Christian d'Oriola - both fencers - are the only French athletes with four golds at the Summer Olympics. Biathlete Martin Fourcade holds the outright record as a five-time Winter Olympics champion.
"It's not for me to say," Riner told AFP in an interview, when asked if two more titles in Paris would make him the greatest French sportsperson in history.
"I know that if we compare achievements and look at the facts, then yes. It would be a proud moment... (but) I'm not putting this pressure on myself.
"There's a lot of things to do before getting an Olympic gold, even if it's the goal."
Riner, who also expects to compete at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, says he hopes part of his legacy will be a smarter, more professional approach to training.
Despite winning everything there is to win, Riner says the feeling of victory never gets old.
"(There's) lots of excitement, an explosion of joy, pride, lots of things at the same time. Because we give ourselves the means to achieve our ambitions, we're always all over the world, it's a lot of sacrifices," said Riner.
"And after a while, when the goal we've set for ourselves is just within our grasp, it all spins out of control. And in Paris too, that would be crazy."
Riner won the first of his world titles in 2007, reigning supreme for a decade and changing the complexion of the sport along the way.
"A lot of people tell me I've changed the (heavyweight) category, that I've changed quite a few things in judo, but I'm a go-getter," said Riner.
"I think it's become more athletic. It was pointed out to me several times that I was a game-changer. It's true we've become more athletic, it's a different judo."
