Teddy Riner at the 2024 Olympics: schedule, opponent… At what time to follow his semi-final ?

It's the big day for Teddy Riner who is aiming for a third individual Olympic gold medal in the +100kg category this Friday, August 2, 2024 at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Here is the detailed program and all the practical information to follow his day at the Olympics.

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13:20 – Riner 2 Rakhimov 0

Teddy Riner will, as almost always, have a certain psychological advantage when it comes time to step onto the tatami to face Temur Rakhimov this Friday afternoon in the semi-finals of the Olympic tournament for the over 100 kilos. In two confrontations, the last one no later than May in the final of the Dushanbe Grand Slam, therefore on Tajik soil, Riner has always won.

12:58 – Rakhimov, Riner's opponent in the semi-finals

If he wants to pursue his dream of an individual Olympic triple, Teddy Riner will have to find the key to defeat Temur Rakhimov in the semi-finals. The Tajik, without much international reference, beat the German Erik Abramov then the Uzbek Alisher Yusupov this Friday morning in Paris.

Magnificent Teddy Riner who in a single movement managed to trap Guram Tushishvili in a fight that was not very well started for the Frenchman. The Guadeloupean managed to counter an offensive from the Georgian and hook him to make him fall on his back. An ippon means qualification for the semi-finals of the Olympic tournament for the legend of French judo!

12:36 – A yellow card for Riner

After two minutes in this quarter-final, the fight between Teddy Riner and Guram Tushishvili is very balanced. The Georgian, ranked 4th in the world, is very active and the Frenchman had trouble putting his hands on his kimono. He even coped with it. a first yellow card.

12:32 – Start of Riner's quarter-final

Things are really starting to get serious for Teddy Riner. After spending more than six minutes on the mat in his first round, the three-time Olympic champion, including two individual ones, is back to face Georgian Guram Tushishvili in the quarter-finals.

12:17 – Just one more fight before Riner

Japanese Tatsuru Saito has finally won his quarter-final fight – it took him eight minutes! – and Teddy Riner's return to the mat is fast approaching. There is only one fight left, between Temur Rakhimov and Alisher Yusupov, before the Frenchman's next round in this Olympic tournament.

12:00 – Riner back around 12:15

Teddy Riner's quarter-final, the last on the programme on mat no. 2 of the Arena Champ-de-Mars, should take place between 12:15 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. this Friday depending on the duration of the three previous fights.

11:55 – A world champion for Riner in the quarter-finals

After a tricky start, Teddy Riner will have to raise his level in the quarter-finals of the Olympic tournament. The Guadeloupean will meet Guram Tushishvili, world champion in 2018 and European champion in 2017 in the heavyweight category. The Georgian, whom Riner has always beaten in three confrontations, the last in 2022, had also brought back the silver medal at the last Olympic Games, in Tokyo in 2021.

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It was long and tight, but Teddy Riner will be in the quarter-finals of the Olympic tournament. The Frenchman needed 6 minutes 30 seconds to make the Emirati Magomedar Magomedarov give way, penalized by a second and then a third Shido during the golden score. If his start was somewhat sluggish, the double individual Olympic champion still ensured the essential by qualifying for the rest of the event. 

11:42 – Still no decision in the golden score

Already five minutes and 30 seconds into the fight, now in the golden score, and Teddy Riner still hasn't found the opening in this eighth final.

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This Friday, August 2, 2024, it's time for the big day, that of the heavyweights in judo at the Paris 2024 Olympics! This day is of course that of Teddy Riner, eagerly awaited by the public of the ephemeral Grand Palais who are just asking to get excited, especially after a disappointing day on Thursday for the French camp. The leader of French judo is competing in his 5th Olympic Games and is aiming for a 6th Olympic medal after the bronze in Beijing in 2008, the gold in London in 2012 and Rio in 2016, the bronze in Tokyo completed by the team gold in 2021.

At 35, the man who did not rule out continuing until the start of these Olympics to Los Angeles in 2028, could make history this Friday by becoming the second judoka to win three individual Olympic gold medals after the legend Tadahiro Nomura. No heavyweight, the top category of judo, has ever done it! To do this, Teddy Riner will have to achieve a perfect run, starting in the first round at 11am. Here is the key information to follow his Olympic day as best as possible.

When will Teddy Riner's semi-final take place at the Paris Olympic Games ?

The so-called “heavyweight” category, i.e. +100kg, is the last on the judo program. The Olympic tournament is scheduled for this Friday, August 2, 2024 at the “temporary” Grand Palais, known as the “Arena Champ de Mars” for these Olympic Games. The fights began at 10 a.m. for the round of 16. World No. 7 and therefore seeded, Teddy Riner was exempted of the round of 16 and entered the table directly in the round of 16. After his victory in the round of 16 against Magomedomarov and then in the quarter-final against Guram Tushishvili, his fight for the semi-final is scheduled for around 4:30 p.m., 4:36 p.m. according to the official schedule.

Who will be Teddy Riner's opponent in the semi-final of the Olympic Games ?

Exempted from the first round, Teddy Riner eliminated the Emirati Magomedomar Magomedomarov in the eighth finals then the Georgian judoka, Guram Tushishvili, European champion in 2017 and Olympic vice-champion in the quarter-finals. For the semi-final, he will face Temur Rakhimov.

What is Teddy Riner's draw to reach the Olympic final ?

Uzbek Yusupov, beaten twice at the Paris Grand Slam in 2023 and 2024, could meet him in the semi-final. In the other part of the draw, we will obviously be watching the Japanese Tatsuru Saito, 6th in the world, and the South Korean world number 1 Minjong Kim. Tajik Temur Rakhimov is an outsider.

Who is Tadahiro Nomura that Teddy Riner can join in case of victory ?

Teddy Riner dreams. This third Olympic title in Paris would be a consecration at home but also a very symbolic accessit since it would allow him to join Tadahiro Nomura, the only judoka to have won three individual Olympic gold medals. The Japanese was entered in -60kg and won gold in Atlanta in 1996, in Sydney in 2000 and in Athens in 2004. Also world champion in 1997, he failed to qualify for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. No heavyweight, Riner's category, has achieved this feat. Hitoshi Saito in 1984 and 1988, David Douillet in 1996 and 2000 and Teddy Riner in 2012 and 2016 are the only ones in the category to have won twice Olympic gold in what is considered the premier category of judo.