French judo star Teddy Riner won a record-extending 11th individual judo world championship title at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena in on Saturday, six years after his last.
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 Tajikistan’s world number one Temur Rakhimov in 30 seconds in the semi-finals, but needed over-time 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 in Paris next year. Riner last appeared in the world championships in 2017 and missed out last year through injury.
Brazil’s Rafael Silva sealed a place on the podium after beating Rakhimov in the bronze-medal bout. Uzbekistan’s Alisher Yusopov also bagged bronze after forcing Japan’s Kokoro Kageura to tap out following a brilliant counter attack.
The women’s over-78kg gold was won by Japan’s Akira Sone, who beat towering Frenchwoman Julia Tolofua in the final. The Japanese reigning Olympic champion captured her second world title with a dogged display to take down the French giant. Sone beat opponent in golden score despite the height difference. Brazil’s Beatriz Souza secured bronze after beating South Korea’s Kim Hay-un, while Raz Hershko bagged the other bronze after her win over China’s Xu Shiyan. The World Championship will conclude today with the mixed teams event.

Russians eye Paris Olympics
After returning to international competition at the world championships in Doha following a ban in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian judokas are now eyeing next year’s Paris Olympics. Competing under neutral flags, the Russians have struggled to land titles but Arman Adamian broke their duck Friday in Doha winning -100kg gold.
After his win the Russian flag was replaced for the ceremony with a banner of the competition and the anthem played was that of the International Judo Federation rather than Russia’s. Adamian’s tunic also bore the letters AIN for Independent Neutral Athletes rather than Russia. Asked about how he felt about that, Adamian said simply: “No comment”.
“They understand that they come here as an individual because it is the rule from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). We understand but we hope the situation will change,” Russian federation press chief Maria Tikhonravova told AFP. Russians and Belarusians at the tournament say they have been well received by competitor nations. “Judo is a big friendly family,” said Adamian.
“When I arrived, I met people from the IJF, EJU (the European federation), and also from international teams and everybody was ready to say thank you for coming, we really missed you and they hope that we will stay here for other competitions until the Olympic Games,” said Tikhonravova.
The return of the Russians sparked the withdrawal of Ukraine from the worlds but there was no repeat of what happened at the boxing worlds when several other nations pulled out in protest. The Polish judo federation did say initially it was “shocked” but then sent its athletes to Doha with the Olympic qualification process under way.