The French handball players had to fight hard to overcome the Hungarians in their opening match in the 2024 Olympic Games on Thursday, July 25 (31-28). The reigning Olympic champions were able to count on a superheated atmosphere for this first match at the Arena Paris Sud. Playing in front of their home crowd could well be an asset for the team.
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From our special correspondent at the Arena Paris Sud 6,
” Awesome! » : Olivier Krumbholz, the coach of the French women’s handball team, and Estelle Nze Minko, the captain of the Bleues, did not consult each other. But both used the same word to describe, a few minutes after the end of their first match of these JO 2024the atmosphere in the Arena Paris Sud 6. The 7,800 seats were filled for the handball players’ entry into the Olympic tournament, three years after their victory in Tokyo.
We can’t really use the same term to describe the French performance against Hungary. The favourites, the French won. But they struggled a little, especially at the very beginning of the match where they quickly fell alarmingly behind (5-1). A short-lived alert, however. The Blues found their game again and took control of the match, without extinguishing the Hungarians.
The show wasn’t just on the floor. The show also took place in the stands of the Arena Paris Sud 6, to Krumbholz’s great delight. It was great, fortunately the fans were there. They really played their part. The public supported us, they were happy to enter these Olympic Games, like us. The public’s contribution was invaluable in difficult moments. “, emphasizes the coach. ” The atmosphere was crazy! “, adds Chloé Valentini. Estelle Nze Minko, the top French scorer of the match (6 goals), was keen to shine in front of her team: ” There are our families, our parents, our friends. When you enter the room, you want to be up to the event. »
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Joe Dassin to accompany the Blues
The Hungarians and their audience who had made the trip were able to discover some classics of French song. Of course, there were The Marseillaisesung at the top of their lungs before kick-off. The French fans and the people in charge of the sound ambiance offered a small musical anthology: The Champs-Élysées And In Emilie’s Eyes by Joe Dassin, Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger by Daft Punk, as well as some international hits like Freed From Desire from Gala, We Will Rock You of Queen or even Get Lucky by Daft Punk feat Pharrell Williams. Enough to increase the enthusiasm in the stands.
” We have no voice anymore! We sang, we danced “, confided Laura after the match, a smile on her lips and her cheeks in the colours of the French flag. We were all in. We tried to give it our all, to galvanize the team. We have a lot of images in our heads. We are super happy. “, confirm Jean and Aline. The trio leaves delighted with their first day of the Paris Games, while waiting to go and watch volleyball, boxing and mountain biking, with the same intention of tirelessly encouraging the French men and women involved.
The handball players have a date with the tough Dutch on Sunday, July 28, for their next match in Group B, in this same Arena Paris Sud 6. With the same heat coming from the stands? Olivier Krumbholz wouldn’t be against it: ” It will be important throughout these Olympics to play at home. »
To consultJO 2024 program and calendar