Done! Czech basketball players celebrate advancing to the Olympic Games in Tokyo. There they advanced after a crushing victory over Greece.
Chad Hipolito, ČTK / AP
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Then the lightning Olympic preparations will start for the representatives. The offer for the match from Slovenia was rejected by the national team, preferring home concentration. “We will take advantage of the fact that we can all be together at last, which was not possible before the qualification and we lacked that time,” said the national team manager Michal Šob.
“We will prefer six training days at home to gaming practice. The implementation team agreed that we will not miss the match load during the hectic course of days, it will be more important to work on tuning the team’s interplay, “Šob indicated.
COMMENT: Olympic reward for players who are looking forward to each other but can also tease each other
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Even before qualifying, everything had to be handled towards Tokyo as if the basketball players were members of the Czech Olympic team. “Fortunately, on paper, our participation is completely ready. The head of the mission, Martin Doktor, is extremely accommodating in order to keep the deadline for all documents, now we just have to update everything about basketball players. And most importantly, to pick up our costumes in Chuchle, “Šob was looking forward to packing his official clothes.
Departure of water slalom skiers at the Olympics in Tokyo
Captain Tomáš Satoranský admitted that he longed for the Olympic participation as a boy perhaps even more than for working in the NBA and is therefore extremely proud of the entire national team, which returned home men’s basketball to the Olympics after 41 years at the Olympics with a qualifying triumph in Victoria, Canada. “It sounds like a fairy tale to me. It means an awful lot for me to go there and represent my country at the biggest sporting event, “said the most useful player of the tournament.
With an average of 16 points per game, the Chicago quarterback was a key figure in the national team for the Olympic qualification. “It doesn’t matter how I played individually. Of course, this is a pleasant award, but we got to the Olympics, which is absolutely amazing, “added Satoranský.
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The Czech basketball players defeated the favored Greeks and will play in the Olympics. The picture shows the only Czech in the NBA, Tomáš Satoranský.
Chad Hipolito, ČTK / AP
The Czechs started the fight for Tokyo by defeating Turkey, but their progress from the group ensured them a victory over Uruguay, and in the playoffs they succeeded against the favored teams of Canada and Greece. “From the beginning, we were very affected by the fact that we had little training together, but we believed in a team that has shown character several times. Maybe it helped that they all underestimated us, “the 29-year-old Satoransky thought.
“Luck usually leans towards a team that wants more and sacrifices more, that’s always been us. We fought with all our might, with each match they improved the game and there was so much energy and mental strength on our side that we were able to win over paper-stronger teams, “said Satoranský.
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The coach of the Czech basketball team, Ronen Ginzburg, reacts to the situation during the match with Greece. The Czechs clearly won and advanced to the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Chad Hipolito, ČTK / AP
“Getting to the Olympics is the dream of every athlete and coach. It came true for us and we are very happy. We have a great group of players with a huge character, “said coach Ronen Ginzburg, who would like to see the winning mentality of the team in Tokyo.” It is clear that it will be an almost impossible mission against the US, but perhaps we can fight France and Iran is enough big unknown. But there I would feel a chance for success, “the coach hoped.
No other Czech athletes spend as much time in Tokyo as basketball players. Twelve players, identical to the line-up from the qualification, will go to the Olympic venue six days before the first duel with Iran, which is scheduled for Sunday, July 25 from 3.00 CET.
Three days later, he will face France and on Saturday, July 31, a defender of gold from the last three US Olympic tournaments, both of which will start at 2:00 pm CET. “We want to enjoy the Olympic participation, but we will not go there as tourists. There are other places for that, my wife wanted to go to the Maldives this summer, so she has to wait, “the coach smiled. The first two teams from the three basic groups of the Olympic tournament and with them the best two of the third places will advance to the quarterfinals.
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