The lead referee of the final between Team USA and France, Antonio Conde, was amazed by LeBron James and Stephen Curry, and admitted he gets goosebumps remembering the final.
Being in the final of the Olympics is a huge achievement not only for the players but for the referees as well, and the lead official of the game between Team USA and France, Antonio Conde, can admit to it.
| Player of the Game | |
|
EFF
24
|
| LeBron James | |
| Points | 14 |
| Accuracy | 6-10 |
| Rebounds | 6 |
| Assists | 10 |
"The Olympic Games are always something magical. I came from the Tokyo Games without fans, and I've continued fighting to be here, and I have enjoyed it tremendously," Conde said in an interview with Radio MARCA. "Curry's triple over Wembanyama was spectacular, these are special players. It doesn't even give you a second thought"
Conde worked in the USA-Brazil game in the quarterfinals, the France-Germany semifinal, and ultimately the final between the US and France.
"The truth is that seeing Lebron at 40 years old with an impressive physique is a bit shocking," he said. "Curry has something special...it was beautiful and that's what I took with me [from the Games]."
"When the time comes, the first thought is to work as though it was just another match and without focusing on it being a final because sometimes the mind can cause some misunderstanding," Conde said. "It's now when a few days pass and when you remember it that you get goosebumps."
Conde has been working at the highest level for 20+ years. It was his first Olympic final.
"If someone had told me that I was going to reach all of this, I would've though they were crazy. I couldn't even imagine that when I started refereeing, I would reach even a tenth of what I had reached. I've prepared, I've had successes, mistakes... and this is a long-distance race," he concluded.
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