It’s always thrilling when a host country’s athlete wins a gold medal, leading to a huge crowd response.
Sometimes the announcers get really carried away, too. That happened Friday when French judoka Teddy Riner won a record fourth career gold medal, beating South Korea’s Kim Min-jong (ranked No. 1 in the world) in the +100kg category.
You may never have heard of Riner, or watched a single second of judo in the Olympics. But anyone can appreciate the excitement of the French announcers as Riner captured gold. It epitomizes the type of raw emotion that always makes the Olympics must-see TV.
Riner’s gold medal featured so many unbelievable elements. Already a national hero, he grew up less than two miles away from the competition venue in a Paris neighborhood. He helped light the Olympic cauldron in the opening ceremony and became the first athlete since 2000 to light the cauldron, then go on to win gold. French President Emmanuel Macron watched the event, then gave Riner a hug afterward.
“It’s a dream. A real dream,” Riner said (via USA Today).
The French certainly know how to celebrate when their athletes strike gold. Check out this response from the Stade de France crowd when informed Léon Marchand had just won a fourth gold medal.
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.