Marine Johannès and Gabby Williams, absent from the last Euro 2023, are returning to the French basketball team, already qualified for the 2024 Olympics, for the Olympic qualifying tournament in China, the French Federation announced on Friday.
The French women, hosts of the Olympic tournament next summer in Villeneuve d’Ascq (1st round) and Paris-Bercy (from the quarter-finals), are automatically qualified, as are the Americans, reigning world champions.
However, they will travel to China in Xi’An from February 8 to 11, for a TQO alongside China, 2022 world vice-champion, Puerto Rico and New Zealand. The first two teams (or the first three if France finishes in one of the first two places), will qualify for the Paris Olympic Games (July 26-August 11).
“We have put together the best possible team for this TQO, taking into account the physical fitness of the players who are in full season with their clubs,” underlined coach Jean-Aimé Toupane.
“Even if the sporting stakes are relative, we will want to win these three matches. Winning every match is the best way to prepare for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games which are coming up in a little over five months now,” he added.
Marine Johannès was not selected for Euro-2023 after a skirmish with the federation, while Gabby Williams missed the competition due to a concussion in May.
The group of 12 French women
Leaders, backs: Romane Bernies (29 years old, 1.70 m, Lattes-Montpellier), Alix Duchet (26 years old, 1.66 m, Bourges), Marine Fauthoux (22 years old, 1.74 m, Basket Landes), Sarah Michel Boury (33 years old, 1.80 m, Bourges, cape)
Wingers: Valériane Ayayi (29 years old, 1.84 m, Prague/CZE), Marine Johannès (22 years old, 1.78 m, Asvel-Lyon), Janelle Salaün (21 years old, 1.90 m, Villeneuve-d’Ascq ), Gabby Williams (27 years old, 1.80 m, Asvel-Lyon)
Interior: Marième Badiane (28 years old, 1.90 m, Lattes-Montpellier), Alexia Chery (25 years old, 1.90 m, Asvel-Lyon), Iliana Rupert (21 years old, 1.94 m, Bologna/ITA), Dominique Malonga (18 years old, 1.97 m, Tarbes)
