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France's Riner wins 11th judo world title / Photo: KARIM JAAFAR - AFP
France's Riner wins 11th judo world title
French judo star Teddy Riner won a record-extending 11th individual judo world championship title in Doha on Saturday, six years after his last, as he gears up for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The 34-year-old beat Russian Inal Tasoev in the +100kg final to become the oldest world champion in history.
"I really hope it will come off (again) at Paris 2024 but it can only come off when you have days like that," he said.
"It's been a long time since I heard the Marseillaise (French national anthem) on a world podium, it feels good."
Riner dispatched world number one Temur Rakhimov in 30 seconds in the semi-finals, but needed overtime to defeat Tasoev by waza-ari.
"I think it's one of the biggest days of my entire career," he added.
"No rhythm all day, so what do we use? The mind, that's all that's left."
The man from Guadeloupe, who became the youngest ever men's world champion in 2007, will bid for a third individual Olympic gold medal on home soil next year, after having to settle for bronze in Tokyo.
Riner last appeared in the world championships in 2017 and missed out last year due to an ankle injury.
Japan's Akira Sone, the Olympic champion in Tokyo, claimed a second world title in the +78kg category.
She defeated Julia Tolofua of France after more than seven minutes of overtime on penalties.
D.Ch. Nadeau--SMC
