This mid-February weekend was devoted to the TQO (Olympic Qualification Tournament) intended to determine the 12 teams who will participate in the women's Olympic basketball tournament for the next Paris Olympics.
Remember that the tournament will take place from July 29 to August 11, first at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve-d'Ascq before ending at the Accor Arena in Paris for the final phase.
With these tournaments, organized in China, Belgium, Hungary and Brazil, we only knew two nations sure of making the Games: France as host country and the United States, world champions.
We now know the other ten.
In Xi'an in China, in the tournament in which France still had to participate, China, world vice-champion, and Puerto Rico won their ticket.
In Antwerp, in addition to the United States, Belgium and Nigeria validated their tickets.
In Sopron, home advantage did nothing for eliminated Hungary, leaving Japan, Spain and Canada to qualify.
Finally in Belem, the same misfortune befell the Brazilians, unable to qualify at home.
Australia, Germany and Serbia emerged victorious from this TQO and will be in France next summer.
Olympic champions since 1996, the Americans will be the very favorites to succeed themselves in less than 6 months from now on.
But it could well be that the number outsider is the French team.
The Bleues of Jean Aimé Toupane have indeed struck a big blow in their expedition without any real stakes in Xi'an.
Let's move on from the victories despite the magnitude of the scores against modest opponents (Puerto Rico 88-40 and New Zealand 94-39).
What stands out is the very large victory against China (82-50), in China on the day of the Chinese New Year.
The Chinese are, however, vice-world champions in 2022 and beat the Blues in the semi-final.
This impressive success could well herald great things for next summer.
The draw for the Olympic tournament draws will take place in April.
Qualified teams.
France (host country), United States (world champions), China, Puerto Rico, Belgium, Nigeria, Japan, Spain, Canada, Australia, Germany, Serbia.