PARIS (AP) — The U.S. women’s basketball team beat France in the gold medal game at the Paris Olympics on Sunday.
This is breaking news. Earlier story below.
The U.S. women’s basketball team is not focused on its record-breaking Olympic winning streak or on the team making history with another victory.
The Americans are focused solely on beating France and winning the gold medal at the Paris Games on Sunday.
“The winning streak doesn’t mean much. But winning it all means the world to me,” star A’ja Wilson said. “I can’t really pay attention to a lot of winning streaks. I feel like that just adds extra pressure. But to come here and keep your eyes on the most important thing and win, that means the world to me. It’s great to continue to be a part of the legacy, the journey that this team has been on, to wear this jersey and others before me. So it’s going to mean a lot to us.”
A win on Sunday would extend the U.S. women’s record to 61 consecutive Olympic victories and a record eight consecutive gold medals, breaking a tie with the U.S. men’s team, which won seven in a row from 1936 to 1968.
A win would give Diana Taurasi her sixth consecutive gold medal, making her the most decorated female basketball player in Olympic history and breaking a tie with longtime teammate Sue Bird, who has won five times.
Taurasi is modest about the potential record, saying she cares more about the team’s victory than her individual success. It has been a tough Olympics for her, as she has been off the starting lineup for the last two games. It was the first time she has been off the starting lineup since the 2004 Olympics.
Standing in their way is a French team cheered on by a loud, energetic crowd. The game is a rematch of the 2012 London Olympics, which the United States won by 36 points.
“I think it’s going to be an incredible atmosphere. I think when you play in your country against the host country, you expect it to be wild,” said U.S. winger Breanna Stewart. “Obviously we played Japan in Tokyo, but there were no fans. And that’s what you want, you want that loud excitement.”
The Americans have played strong halves and quarters, but have yet to play a great 40 minutes. That has been good enough to get them through the Olympics, and no team has been able to get even a single point close to them.
The French players are aware that they have a difficult task ahead of them if they want to win the country’s first gold medal and cause a monumental upset.
“You have to believe if you want to achieve something special,” said French winger Gabby Williams. “What I love is the bond between us and our belief in each other. And if anything is going to bring us gold, it’s this.”
The French Guard Marine Johannes knows who belongs to the other team.
“They’re all the best players in the world. But like I said, we have nothing to lose,” she said. “We’ll play hard.”
Sunday’s match will cap a weekend in which France and the United States will play for the gold medal in both the men’s and women’s events – the first time in Olympic history that this has happened.
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