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PARIS: The all-conquering US women’s basketball team will play for a historic eighth straight Olympic gold medal against French opponents on Sunday amid the “love” of their fans.
The U.S. women’s basketball team has won gold medals in the past seven Olympics since the 1996 Atlanta Games.
If they win eight consecutive championships, they will set the record for the most consecutive gold medals in an Olympic team event, breaking the record of seven consecutive basketball championships held by the US men’s basketball team from 1936 to 1968.
“I think the gold medal is the standard,” said American forward Alyssa Thomas. “No matter where we are in the world, that’s our goal and why we’re here.”
The match will be an emotional event at the Bercy Stadium, as it will be the first time in Olympic history that the men’s and women’s finals will feature the same match-up.
An ecstatic crowd roared as the French women’s national team defeated European champions Belgium in extra time in the semi-final, with Gabrielle Williams scoring nine of her team’s 18 points in the extra period as the hosts came back from a 17-point deficit.
“This is a love letter to our fans and supporters,” said an ecstatic Williams, who won two NCAA titles with UConn and the 2022 EuroLeague title with Sopron.
Williams, who was born in Nevada and qualified to compete for France through her mother, Theresa, was part of the French team that won the bronze medal at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
Now, France returns to the final for the first time since 2012 and has a chance to win the last gold medal of the Paris Olympics.
“The atmosphere at every game makes us want to cry,” Williams said.
“I love the connection we have and the love we have for each other. If anything can bring gold, this is it.”
But whether it is enough to counter the well-oiled American machine is another matter.
“Coming into this team, we all know what our strengths are,” said WNBA sharpshooter Sabrina Ionescu.
“When we play, it looks effortless and easy because we’re just doing simple movements,” she said.
“I love it because that’s the style of my game. Moving the ball, being able to handle the ball, and being able to pass it.”
Ionescu also relished the opportunity to play with the best players at her level.
“There aren’t many opportunities to play with the best players in the world, to see how they play and how they can improve their game,” she said.
– ‘You have to believe’ –
Among the athletes with plenty of talent and experience is 42-year-old Diana Taurasi, who is seeking her sixth consecutive Olympic gold medal.
“Even in the women’s basketball league (NBA), she’s the greatest player of all time,” Thomas said. “All of us are excited to share this moment with her. Six medals is crazy.”
Everyone on the American team knew that for their competition to be considered a success, the medal had to be a gold medal.
“We just hope to keep going like this,” said guard Jackie Young, who has excelled on both ends of the court since starting in the U.S. quarterfinal win over Nigeria.
“I think we just have to take it game by game and we have another game on Sunday.”
Williams and her French teammates are well aware of the magnitude of the task ahead of them.
“If you want to do something special, you have to have faith,” she said.
bb/jw
By Rebecca BRYAN
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