Winners in 3 sets (25-20, 25-20, 25-23), Friday evening, from Germany during the final of the Olympic Qualification Tournament (TQO) which took place in Berlin, the Blues won the ultimate ticket for the Tokyo Games next summer. Deprived of many incumbents (Boyer, Clévenot, Rossard and Le Roux injury), France was able to count on a new generation of players including Yacine Louati, only 17 selections on their counter before the start of TQO. From the bus that takes the Blues to their Berlin hotel, the 27-year-old international answered our questions.
What state of mind are you in?
YACINE LOUATI. We're just starting to realize. The match has been over for over an hour and we hardly understand what happened. We are qualified for the Games. It's incredible. We come from so far. There is a lot of emotion.
Are you aware of being one of the revelations of this TQO?
We are fortunate in France to have many very good receptionist-attackers. I was behind some. But I was not stressed, I was calm because we all know each other on this team. We have a close-knit group. There is heart.
On the way to @ Tokyo2020 !!!! pic.twitter.com/WqPcSzJnJh
- FFvolley (@FFvolley) January 10, 2020What does this qualification represent?
It represents a lot. This is a dream. I didn't even dare to talk about it or think about it before. And it falls on me ... I have a thought for my loved ones and my father (Editor's note: the former Tunisian international Moutaa Louati, who died in May 2010). It is thanks to him that I play volleyball and that I live these moments.
Do you think you will be part of the selection for the Games?
I think I deserve it but everyone in this group deserves their place. We came back so far with absences. The group was formed in pain and difficulty. We created something strong during this TQO. We all have the rage and the impatience to go to Tokyo. It is not a goal that is achieved but simply a step. If we play at the Olympics like this weekend we can do something great…
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Will the night be short?
We haven't been sleeping well for a few nights because of all these cleaver matches. Even if we lost some, each match was a feat. We will savor.
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