Tokyo, 13 kilometers separate the Yoyogi National Stadium (theater of the handball tournament) from the Arena de Ariake (which hosts the volleyball competition). A distance reduced by the blue thread of a day of celebration. It is 10:32 p.m. in Japan when the French handball team celebrates its gold medal (25-23 against Denmark). Information circulates quickly in the corridors of the enclosure where the French volleyball team leads 2 sets to 0 against Russia. The idea of a double takes hold. She will be battered by a capricious scenario. The volleyball players will have to hang on to their dream because they will not touch the gold until 71 minutes later. After going through all the emotions. The euphoria, the fear before the liberation. The outpourings, the tears and the medals. The fever of a Saturday night in Tokyo.It is almost two o'clock in the morning when the volleyball players are finished with the protocol and their media obligations. The typhoon releases a downpour. The gold medalists walk on water ...
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Read also: Nikola Karabatic: "Three times Olympic champion, four medals, that's a swimmer's record!"
On the handball side, after the scenes of joy at the final whistle and the podium, Nedim Remili says: “
At the final whistle, I didn't understand what was going on. On all the action, in fact. I see Ludo (Fabregas) who recovers the ball and who shoots from super far and I say to myself: "But why is he shooting?" I told myself that now was not the time to do this. Besides, I thought the referees had called a foul. And then I understand that the goal is validated and that there are only ten seconds left. I panic, I don't hear the siren and I tell myself that there will be extensions. I don't want to believe that I am an Olympic champion. My rise on the podium? I have to see her again to understand what I did. Me, I was just told to put the left foot, the right foot, that's all I understood (laughs). The others are more mature and experienced than me. Niko (Karabatic),Luc (Abalo) or Mika (Guigou), they were three times Olympic champions, they know what it has changed in their lives. I am discovering.
"
“I don't know if we have left for a new reign but I think that by winning this Olympic title, we have put France in its place. "
Dika Mem, Olympic handball champion
Dika Mem sums up: "
This medal is super beautiful. There is a lot of pride in it, a lot of work too. We are really happy. We have come a long way, there have been a lot of changes, of things said, of people who have been criticized. On this final, the whole group was able to respond. I think we all had a huge competition and that was the best way to respond to those criticisms. Now we can savor this title. It’s nice, I’m very happy for our generation. Just like I am for Mika and Luc who have just won their third Games. It's incredible. It highlights all the work they have done over the years. These four untitled years have been a long time. Now, we have to say to ourselves that for the others,it was also a long time when France won everything. But today we are Olympic champions, we will be able to defend our title at home. I don't know if we left for a new reign but I think that by winning this Olympic title, we have put France in its place. I hope we can continue like this in the next competitions because there is still some reservoir behind. I think that French handball still has good years ahead of it.hope that we can continue like this in the next competitions because there is still some reservoir behind. I think that French handball still has good years ahead of it.hope that we can continue like this in the next competitions because there is still some reservoir behind. I think that French handball still has good years ahead of it.
"
To read also: "Syndrome of the impostor", "lesson of life", "free man": the moving confidences of Abalo
On the volleyball side, Joe Dassin, Édith Piaf, the sound system accompanies the dances of joy. The effusions are intense accomplices. The photos are moving, like those which unite Laurent Tillie and his son Kévin. A gold family. The soundtrack invites, like, during the final, French music. Passages appreciated by private players. With a guest in the program, Earvin Ngapeth, the star of French volleyball, rapper in his spare time. An excerpt from his song "
Manière
" was broadcast. "
He has his ace on his music, it was written,
" says Antoine Brizard. Nothing could capsize this team of France, unpredictable, brilliant, arrived safely. Jenia Grebennikov, the libero, smiles: “
It's crazy'' !
The medal is heavy, I was not expecting that… It is beautiful.
I said to myself if we lose we will have a medal anyway, but it's the most beautiful.
I do not realize.
It's ten years of working with Laurent (Tillie), with this group.
We weren't putting a trap on us.
It's great for volleyball.
It's nice for the staff to end up like this.
We end in the most beautiful way, it's incredible.
I would never have imagined this.
Except in my dreams.
I had fun.
"
“The medal has always been the goal. But no one, at any time, thought of being an Olympic champion. "
Antoine Brizard, Olympic volleyball champion
Trevor Clevenot, receiver-attacker adds: “
We went to get it with the guts, we have no more energy, we have nothing but we went to seek the gold medal with the heart. It's strong. It's incredible. Something crazy. We don't realize.
The medal makes the eyes shine. It remains well hung. “
When we land at home with that (the medal), everything will fall away. I don't take it off anymore,
”laughs Bathélémy Chinenyeze. Antoine Brizard, the passer slips: “
The medal has always been the goal. But no one, at any time, thought of being an Olympic champion. It was the watchword not to talk about it, so that the media would leave us a little alone… We are so unpredictable,we were outsiders from start to finish. And There you go…
"Benjamin Toniutti, the captain, recalls:"
It was a dream to be an Olympic medalist. The gold medal is exceptional. It's hard to find the words. It is a special summer during which there are many sacrifices. We've been living in bubbles for eleven weeks. Coming home as an Olympic champion is something very, very big. We tell ourselves that we are not doing it for nothing. This will mark us for life. The group, the staff, the players.
The night grabs them. They promised it was going to be short.
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