Basketball, volleyball, handball… Team sports are definitely doing well for the French in Tokyo.
Between the spectacular victory of the basketball players against the United States, and the superb journey to the silver medal for rugby sevens among women, each to their own.
All of them, apart from football and its disastrous exit from the first round of the Olympics.
Back on the collective journeys of the French in Tokyo.
Silver Sevens rugby, 3 x 3 chocolate basketball
They are already leaving Tokyo medalists.
After a magnificent course marked by a faultless, the Bleues of rugby sevens lost this Saturday in the final of the Tokyo Olympics (12-26) against the New Zealand women, Olympic vice-champions in Rio.
Not enough to forget the superb silver medal brought back by the French, a first in this sport integrated in 2016 in the program of the Games.
The most beautiful, and the only distinction brought back by team sports for the moment.
🏉🇫🇷🥈 The French rugby sevens team lost to New Zealand (26-12).
🗣️ "We can be proud of what we have done".
Find the reaction of the French Fanny Horta after the defeat.
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- francetvsport (@francetvsport) July 31, 2021
The 3 x 3 basketball players dreamed of it, and they passed right by.
After two frustrating defeats, halfway against the United States (18-16), with a final more than questionable arbitration decision, and in the match for the bronze medal, against China (16-14), Laetitia Guapo, Ana Filip, Migna Touré and Marie-Eve Paget find themselves in the worst place: 4th, at the foot of the podium.
An immense frustration which does not hide the very beautiful course of the French, for the first appearance of this sport at the Olympics.
They have already promised to take their revenge in Paris in 2024.
Basketball and handball: the men impressed
They do not yet have a medal but can logically claim it in view of their results.
Special mention to the French men's basketball team and its superb victory against the United States.
Almost two years after eliminating the best team in the world in the quarter-finals of the 2019 World Cup, the French again defeated the Americans (83-76) as soon as they entered the competition.
Next: two easy wins against the Czech Republic and Iran.
The Blues will be favorites against the Italians in the quarterfinals.
HOW ARE YOU ?
✌️ # TeamFranceBasket #FRAUSA # Tokyo2020 #Basketball pic.twitter.com/CyNcvqAU2g
- French Basketball Teams (@FRABasketball) July 25, 2021
On the handball side, the French did not go far from a clear round in the group stage.
After four consecutive successes against Argentina, Brazil, Germany and Spain, the Blues ended up losing in a final game without a stake against Norway (29-32).
Results, a first place for France in the first round and a quarter-final, a priori affordable against Bahrain.
The "experts" may be back.
🇳🇴 32⚡29 🇫🇷
The Blues suffer their first defeat 😑
🌩 Now it's time for the quarter-finals! #BleuetFier # Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/8FbgsLxazI
- French Handball Teams (@FRAHandball) August 1, 2021
Last qualification for men, the French volleyball team will be at the quarter-finals after a very complicated start to the tournament.
Defeated twice in the first three games against the United States and Argentina, Vincent Tillie's team rose to power with a victory notably against Russia, Olympic champion in 2012, and a loss in the tie-break against the Brazil, defending champion.
For a place in the semi-finals, the Blues will have to continue their momentum against Poland.
It goes ric-rac for women
Still in the race.
The French women's teams had a lot of scares but ended up getting their ticket to the quarter-finals.
Starting with the basketball players.
Defeated from the start by Japan, the Blue had to lose by less than 14 points against the big favorites, the United States.
And the French did not go far from the correctional with a defeat (93-82).
Regardless, the qualification is assured and the Habs should face China, Belgium or Spain in the quarterfinals.
🇫🇷 It barely passes for the Blue after a difficult match.
The France team should not lose more than 13 points to qualify.
🏀 Good news for French basketball.
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- francetvsport (@francetvsport) August 2, 2021
On the handball side, the French also trembled before confirming their presence in the quarterfinals.
With two defeats against Spain and Russia, then a draw against Sweden, the recent vice-champions of Europe were forced to win against Brazil to preserve their place at the Olympic Games.
Thing done with a forceps victory 29-22, but the Blue could fall on the heavy for a place in the semifinals.
The big black spot: the sinking of football
Almost without fault since football remains the only one, and the immense disappointment of team sports.
A fiasco from A to Z. After the great difficulties to establish the list of Sylvain Ripoll, the Blues collapsed during the Olympic tournament, defeated by Mexico (1-4) and Japan (0-4).
France could even have left with a zero score without its victory in extremis against South Africa (4-3).
The #Olympic Games stop there for our Blues who bow to Japan 🇯🇵 #FRAJAP pic.twitter.com/5MGvDGvk7X
- French team ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) July 28, 2021
Result: 11 goals conceded in three games, a return home with his head down, and an elimination deemed “inevitable” by the president of the French Football Federation Noël Le Graët. A fiasco that turned into a settling of scores with André-Pierre Gignac as head cutter who points to the role of clubs and French football: “We have had a hard time. Botched Games like that and put your country in difficulty, it's not terrible… ”The only disappointment of the Games when it comes to team sports.