A new city is added to the already full travel diary of the 3×3 adventurers: Springfield, in Massachusetts, between New York and Boston. The Olympic preparation group, including the world vice-champions, continues its preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (July 26-August 11), and its quest for its first Olympic medal, in the United States. The Blues will test themselves this week during their first Women’s Series, the equivalent of the World Cup circuit (April 23-24), their first international benchmark competition of this Olympic season.
After the 3×3 Pro League at the start of the year, organized by the FFBB and won by the Tricolores, notably against the Dutch European champions, the level goes up another notch in Springfield with two Canadian teams (Canada won the final of the world circuit last summer), Germany (4th in the world) and two American teams, including the reigning world champions (Hailey Van Lith, Cameron Brink, Cierra Burdick), finalists of the last World Cup against the Blue (16-12 defeat). Already qualified for the Olympics, Team USA, in the Olympic team selection phase, described its training camp as “the most talented and competitive” ever seen. A very good test for the Blues, 3 months before the Games.
First big test of the season
“At the start of the season, we took the time to do real physical preparation, to develop the players individually and the Lille tournament (in February, with a larger group including 5×5 players) allowed us to take stock of the situation. everyone’s state of form, testing combinations, explained Yann Julien, coach of the France team. Afterwards, we will gain strength in terms of adversity over the months until the Olympics. »
“We might as well prepare against teams we’re going to meet at the Olympics”
This is done with this tournament, to which should be added training matches against Canadians and Americans. “It’s a first date that marks the last hundred days of preparation,” confirms Laëtitia Guapo, French number one, present at the “J-100” event of the Olympic Games in Paris a week earlier. The objective is to compete with the big world teams. It’s cool to be able to train against teams who are in full preparation and in full swing for those who are trying to qualify for the Games. »
“We might as well prepare against teams that we are going to meet at the Olympics,” points out Marie-Eve Paget, captain of the Bleues, referring to Team USA, reigning Olympic champion and already qualified. And it remains an official tournament, because yes, there are the Games, but beyond the Games, there is a European Cup to prepare for (June 22-25), other deadlines next year. Everything is closely linked. »
The Olympic preparation group, dedicated 100% to 3×3 this season, is not on its first trip this year. In March, the team flew to Mongolia, an internship in the capital Ulaanbaatar with its temperatures between -20 and -10 degrees. “We were lucky according to the Mongols because a week before, it was -30,” Paget says with a smile. We train against each other all the time so it’s nice to have an opposition that changes, poses other problems for us, another style of play.” Located at 1350 m altitude, Ulaanbaatar also made it possible to work physically.
Les Bleues will then continue with several stages of the Women’s Series in France, in Marseille (May 29-30), Clermont-Ferrand (June 14-15), Orléans (June 20-21), Poitiers (June 25-26) or even Bordeaux (July 9-10). The final stretch before Place de la Concorde this summer.
