Certainly, the Tokyo Olympics end this Sunday.
But this Saturday took on the air of a final bouquet.
A fireworks display worthy of the most beautiful sorted from the Eiffel Tower on July 14 with 5 medals, including 2 titles, and France pushes its counter to 32 awards in these Games.
Handball and volleyball at the top
Rio's bitter money is forgotten.
The French handball players took a resounding revenge on the Denmark of Mikkel Hansen (25-23), who had beaten them in Brazil in 2016. After an ideal first period (14-10), the Blues suffered but gleaned the third medal of their history, to close a mythical page of the French hand.
💙🤍❤ THEY DID IT !!!
The French handball team is Olympic champion!
The Blues trembled but overcame Denmark in a suspenseful match (25-23).
FA-BU-LEUX bravo boys!
🥇 #Olympic
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- francetvsport (@francetvsport) August 7, 2021
Present for the 2008, 2012 and 2021 titles, the last three Experts Michaël Guigou, Luc Abalo and Nikola Karabatic won a 4th Olympic medal, a record in handball. If the first two cities have formalized their international retreat, the last has not yet been decided. And the PSG player was the main architect of this successful final, alongside goalkeeper Vincent Gérard, exceptional throughout the tournament.
The volleyball players are not left out.
Heroic, the new version “Team Yavbou” defeated Russia, titled in 2012 and 4th in 2016. Laurent Tillie's men took 5 rounds, yet ahead of 2 heats for nothing, to win the very first medal of gold of French volleyball at the end of the suspense (25-23, 25-17, 21-25, 21-25, 15-12).
A great gift for the coach of the Blues, for his last game after 9 years on the bench.
🏐🇫🇷 🥇 WHAT EMOTIONS !!
THE BLUES ARE OLYMPIC VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONS!
🥇🇫🇷
They did it, the Russians were back to 2 sets everywhere, the Blues never gave up!
Bravo Gentlemen 🤩
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- francetvsport (@francetvsport) August 7, 2021
Beyond the world top 20 in 2012, deprived of the Euro, France is on the roof of the world.
And the Olympics were like this Stations of the Cross.
Exiting the group stage by a mouse hole, despite 3 defeats, France defeated Poland (3-2), favorite for the final victory, then Argentina (3-0), who had it. yet beaten at the start of the competition.
Led in the decisive round in the final (6-3), the Blues have recovered again, to the mind.
Epic.
Basketball, between smiles and tears
So close and so far at the same time.
The Basketball Blues missed the Olympic title by 5 points against the United States (87-82).
Winners of Team USA for their entry into the tournament, the protected Vincent Collet were again amazing in envy, but this time sinned in free throws (10 misses) and in keeping the ball (20 losses).
Details paid for at a high price, and which deprive them of a resounding feat.
Rudy Gobert's tears attest to this.
🏀🗣️ "We wanted the gold medal"
After the defeat against the United States in the Olympic final, Rudy Gobert, disappointed, could not hold back his tears #Olympic Games # Tokyo2020
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- francetvsport (@francetvsport) August 7, 2021
Completely opposite end of the Olympics for the basketball players, who finished on a good note.
Out of the shot against Japan in the half (87-71), the Blue washed up the affront against Serbia (91-76) to win a bronze medal, their first award since silver in 2012. A success all the more tasty as it erases the final of the Euro lost in June against… Serbia.
In short, French basketball was great.
Thomas-Grondin tanned duo, frustrated Bart, fallen riding
The 5th medal of the day was brought back by Benjamin Thomas and Donovan Grondin, third in the American race behind the Danes and the British.
Even though they were in the lead for part of the race, the French are content with bronze.
After bronze (also) in team speed, this is the second medal in track cycling in Tokyo.
🚴🇫🇷 🥉 France takes bronze on the Madison!
Benjamin Thomas and Donovan Grondin offer a 30th medal to the French delegation.
Denmark is Olympic champion ahead of Great Britain # Tokyo2020
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- francetvsport (@francetvsport) August 7, 2021
The charm did not go far for Adrien Bart.
Long third in the C1 1000m final, the Habs were overtaken in the final meters by the Moldovan Serghei Tarnovschi (a former drug addict) to fail in 4th place.
It was also a disappointment in horse riding, where the French show jumping team was deprived of a medal (potentially in gold) when Pénélope Leprévost's horse, Vancouver de Lanlore, refused to jump.