Les Bleues in search of a title that escapes them

They showed the color and showed that they would be the team to beat. Sixteen months ago, at the Prado Sports Palace, in Bourges, cathedral of women’s basketball, the France team landed its ticket for the Olympic Games (Olympics) in Tokyo after overthrowing Australia, vice-champion of the world, opening of the Olympic qualifying tournament. At the time of starting Euro 2021, Thursday, June 17, the Blue appear with the sign of favorites.

In Strasbourg and Valencia (Spain), where the competition will take place until June 27, 2021, the France team will try to overcome the curse of the last step, which it has never managed to climb in the last four editions of the European competition (finalist in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019, third in 2011). Before thinking about the Olympic Games, scheduled in a month (July 23 to August 8, 2021).

In this marathon-like summer, the French “Auron[t] two halves to play: the Euro then the Olympics. [Elles veulent] succeed the first half with the Euro, trying to get the title “, as well as the head coach, Valérie Garnier. “Gold has eluded us for too long. We want to take the plunge ”, she promised already in April 2021, when unveiling the list of players selected to prepare for the Euro.

In the Strasbourg enclosure of the Rhénus, where the Bleues begin the group stage of the competition, Thursday, against a modest Croatia, some 3,600 supporters are expected to galvanize the French. Russia and the Czech Republic, absent from the last Olympic tournament, in Rio, in 2016, complete group D.

Quality collective

After a flawless run during the preparatory campaign for the Euro, marked by two successes against Spain, double reigning European champion (2017, 2019), the Blue have built up confidence. “With six qualifying places for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, the teams will not give up”, nevertheless warns Valérie Garnier, while praising “The complementarity of [ses] players “, who, according to her, ” made [la] strength ” of his team.

Since the Rio Olympics, where the latter had been somewhat inhibited by the issue, vacillating at the worst of times and leaving Brazil at the foot of the podium, the teammates of Marine Johannès “Have grown in technical quality”, ensures the breeder. Even if, at the World Cup in 2018, the disappointment was strong (after an exit from the quarter-finals), France has a quality collective.

No less than three generations come together under the tricolor jersey. Alexia Chartereau and Iliana Rupert are playing their second European campaign at the age of 22 and 19. Displaying a creative game, the youngest of the team will be supervised by Helena Ciak, Diandra Tchatchouang or Sarah Michel, back in Blue.

In the racket, the “robber” – nickname given to the sacred France team, to everyone’s surprise, at Euro 2009, in Latvia – Sandrine Gruda will sound the charge of the French defense, cement of its success. The tricolor interior has become the best scorer in the history of the Blues (2,578 points) Saturday June 12, 2021 against Sweden, in the last preparatory match for the Euro. “I want to serve as an example for the young generation that is coming. I pushed open a door. It’s up to them to do even better ”, she said after the match.

The versatility of Gabby Williams

In attack, the arrival of Gabby Williams brings an additional advantage. The American, who has a French passport thanks to her grandmother, replaces the leader Bria Hartley, insufficiently recovered from a knee injury.

Versatile and physical (1.80 m, 78 kilos), the 24-year-old basketball player was elected best defender in the Euroleague last year with the Hungarian club Sopron, “Can play in different positions, which leaves us freedom in the composition of the team”, appreciates Valérie Garnier.

“She totally has her place with us, and I think she will bring us a lot”, assures his partner Alix Duchet. Gabby Williams sees it for her part ” a [chance] for [sa] career “, even if this choice forces her to give up a season of WNBA (the American professional women’s basketball league), which she would have played from May to October 2021 with the Chicago Sky.

In Strasbourg, the city is adorned with the colors of the France team, while the flags of the sixteen nations qualified for the European competition float from the ceiling of the Rhénus. “Everything will be in place to make the party a beautiful one, welcomed Jean-Pierre Siutat, president of the French Basketball Federation, in a press release. We know the public will respond. “

The Covid-19 could nevertheless come to play the spoilsport. The Spanish national team must already do without two players. Alba Torrens and Tamara Abalde, in fact tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 last Saturday, the Spanish Basketball Federation announced on Monday (June 14th).