French judo star Teddy Riner is aiming for one last Olympic gold in Los Angeles

PARIS (AP) — French judo star Teddy Riner wants to end his stellar career with a fourth individual Olympic gold medal at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.

The 2.04-meter (6-foot-8) heavyweight will be 39 years old then and, if he qualifies, it would be his sixth and final Olympics.

“Of course that's an objective,” Riner said Wednesday. “I think up until now I've proved that every time I take part in an event it's for the top step of the podium (for) the most beautiful of medals. If I commit to something, it's to win.”

The 11-time world champion was ruled out of next month's worlds in Baku, however, due to a lingering right shoulder injury.

“I am doing my maximum to come back from this injury. Of course you must be patient, that's part of being a top-level athlete,” Riner said at the Parc des Princes stadium after re-joining Paris Saint-Germain's judo club on a contract until 2028.

Although he feels his shoulder is “creaking a bit at the moment" he is confident he will recover properly. Riner says he is not a “very patient” person but is trying to become one.

“We have a new (recovery) protocol in place, I hope this one works. If it doesn’t work there’s still a third protocol left. For the time being it's on the right track," he said. “As I said, I'm positive, because I had an operation on this shoulder in 2013 and up until now it has held firm; up until now it enabled me to win the best medals and what we experienced at Paris 2024.”

After taking bronze at the Tokyo Games , Riner reclaimed the Olympic title in Paris in 2024 to become the second three-time individual gold medalist in judo history.

Riner won another bronze at the 2008 Games in Beijing — his first — and also counts five European titles in individual competition. He amassed a staggering 154 straight victories from 2010-20 before losing to Japan’s Kokoro Kageura.

“I still have the desire to do great things in this sport,” he said. “I'm super happy to get out of bed in the morning and improve my judo.”

He still has to qualify for the next Olympics, though.

“I think there will be a maximum of five or six tournaments to get in the top 10 (places),” he said.

Riner previously competed for PSG's judo club from 1994-2007 and came back again in 2017. He then helped PSG win the 2024 edition of the Judo Champions League, following his Olympic success, and plans to help it win another in 2027.

“I’m delighted and honoured to write another chapter in my adventure here,” Riner said.

Djamel Bouras, president of PSG Judo, said Riner's role goes beyond his huge achievements on the tatami mat.

“He’ll transmit his experience and his winning culture to the youngsters who train alongside him,” Bouras said. “It’s a real boon for Paris Saint-Germain Judo and a tremendous driver of our section’s ambitions.” ___

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