Tokyo (AFP)

Even overwhelmed by serial injuries, the French handball players remain determined to complete the story started with their silver epic in Rio.

After world (2017) and European (2018) coronations, they covet in Tokyo the only title missing from their collection.

"Honestly, we are here to bring back the gold": Wednesday Alexandra Lacrabère displayed the color of the metal targeted by the Blue from Sunday.

Of all the titles won in recent years, the 34-year-old right-back sees a "page turn for a lot of players" at the end of the Games.

One more reason making him think that "this team deserves to leave with the Olympic title".

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Merit in sporting matters is no guarantee of reward, but these Bleues, watered by a cascade of serious injuries in the spring, do not fail to read the names of those absent: the captain and left wing Siraba Dembélé, the rear left Orlane Kanor and right-back Aïssatou Kouyaté.

"It is certain that this does not suit us and that there are a lot of modifications to be made", admitted during the preparation the coach Olivier Krumbholz, especially concerned about the void left by Siraba Dembélé.

"The last time she was not there, we broke our face in terms of results and not by chance," he recalled in reference to the failure of the 2019 Worlds, left in the first round in Kumamoto, already in Japan.

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The French handball players started the tournament with a surprise defeat against South Korea, one of their - rare - bad habits (World-2017, Euro-2018), rectified at the last European Championship.

- "Do not burn a joker" -

Be careful not to fall back into this Sunday against Hungary, in theory the weakest team of their dense group (supplemented by Spain, Sweden, the Russians, Brazil) which we will have to rank at least fourth to see the quarter-finals.

"To get out of the pool, it will take points as quickly as possible to be reassured," said Olivier Krumbholz.

Understand that he expects his players to win right away so as not to fall behind in the race for qualification.

"We will have to respond from the start and not burn a joker", summarizes Allison Pineau, used Thursday in an unexpected role of pivot during the last victory in preparation against Montenegro (32-31).

A momentary reconversion, consequence of the absence of Pauletta Foppa, preserved.

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But not so anecdotal: this replacement - convincing - illustrates the state of mind animating the team, like the repositioning of winger Laura Flippes as right-back due to the injury of Aïssatou Kouyaté, the "supersub "victim in April of a rupture of a cruciate ligament in a knee.

"We would have preferred to have a little less disturbed preparation, but our players have mental," observes Olivier Krumbholz.

This mentality allowed them to recover from the disillusionment of Kumamoto to play a year later, last December, the final of Euro-2020, lost to Norway (22-20), big favorite of the Games.

A sufficient course to reassure yourself without falling into euphoria.

The same evening, goalkeeper Cléopâtre Darleux recalled the real goal of the Blues: "After the match, we were super disappointed. But five minutes later, we had this image of the Olympic Games."

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