THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
The build-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is starting to ramp up. The biggest sporting event in the world officially begins on July 26 with the opening ceremony, although there are two days of competition before then.
The basketball tournament starts the following day when there are a series of Men's matches, and then a day later the Women's group stages begin.
Before all that there is a small matter of qualification, and the Women's roster for the qualifying brackets has been announced.
The reigning Gold medal holders are guaranteed their place in Paris but will use their time in a pre-Olympic qualifying tournament in Antwerp, Belgium to gain some traction ahead of the summer.
The Women's roster has been cut from an initial 18, who attended training camp in Brooklyn, to 12 who will travel to Europe for the qualifying series, although there are no guarantees of Olympic selection: selection committee chair Jen Rizzotti said, "We made that pretty clear. Going there [to Belgium] doesn't guarantee you're an Olympian".
Leading names on the list include Breanna Stewart and Diana Taurasi.
Taurasi is no stranger to the Olympics, and indeed the top step of the podium, having won five gold medals but she'll be making her first appearance since stepping up to get gold in Tokyo 2020.
The roster is a blend of experience and youth with Ariel Atkins, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Napheesa Collier, and Jackie Young having been on the big stage before.
Winners from the World Cup in the summer of 2022 include Kahleah Copper, Sabrina Ionescu, Alyssa Thomas, as well as Breanna Stewart. In addition to these names are Aliyah Boston and Rhyne Howard.
Cheryl Reeve is the head coach looking to make it eight straight gold medals for the USA Women's team with this new talented group.
February 8 – USA v Belgium
February 9 – USA v Nigeria
February 11 – USA v Senegal
