• The France team qualified for the semi-finals of the Olympics by winning widely against Bahrain on Tuesday morning.

  • A match that took place early, very early even (9:30 am local time), which did not particularly please the Blues, especially for a quarter-final.

From our special correspondent in Tokyo,

A very unusual schedule, an unlikely opponent, an (obviously) empty room… It was necessary to show imagination, Tuesday morning, to realize that we were indeed witnessing a quarter-final of the Olympic Games with this France-Bahrain. For the Blues as much as for us. Playing at 9:30 am did not really delight the coach, Guillaume Gille. "These are anything but ideal conditions," said the former center-back. Playing his destiny in the Olympics at this time, I find that it is not suited to high level sport. It is to think about for the future. We slept very little. "

It did not prevent the France team from winning widely (42-28), but still.

For a group game, pass again (it happened against Brazil), but for a cleaver meeting, that normally never happens.

Michaël Guigou prefers to smile.

"It's a pretty incredible schedule for a quarter-final," blows the captain, who had never known that since his debut in the selection in ... 2002.

"What is hard is that we have a lot of schedule changes"

Suddenly, it was all over the place as soon as possible at the Hôtel des Bleus. Up at 5:55 am, to meet all together downstairs at 6:15 am for a little muscle and joint awakening. “We weren't bothered in the elevators,” Guigou slips, before turning serious again: “For me it was more stinging than when we had played this schedule in hen. What is hard, in fact, is that we have a lot of changes in schedules, organization, and sometimes we do not know how our body will react. "

Arrived at Yoyogi Stadium at 7.45 am, the handball players had to wait until 8.30 am to gain access to the warm-up room.

The rules are the rules.

“We go around in circles in the locker room, in the corridor, it's long but we continue to wake up quietly, continues the winger of the Blues.

Well, finally, we were ready to go, even if we were a little in difficulty at the beginning on their different types of defense.

We were serious.

"

Our dossier on the 2021 Olympics

The French, who have always been in the race, did not really break away until after the 20th minute, it is true.

Then, they unrolled, spun, and tested as many combinations as possible in the semi-final predictions.

The fourth in a row at the Olympics for handball players, still as consistent in excellence.

It will be against Germany or Egypt, who clash at the end of the day.

The Blues will have had time to take a good nap before watching it quietly on TV.

Playing early also has its advantages, when you can get yourself out of the trap.

Sport

2021 Olympics: Lavillenie vs Duplantis and men's co-sport in the quarter-finals ... Tuesday's program

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Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games: Les Bleus in the semi-finals ... A new world record in athletics ... The morning live

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