Incredible: the Montpellier basketball players beat the attendance record for a match with 8,069 spectators

Le pari a été réussi par les organisateurs d’Héraia. Giacomo Italiano – Giacomo Italiano

On the occasion of Héraia Day and the opposition against Tarbes in the Women's Basketball League, the BLMA broke the record for the number of spectators for a women's championship match, this Sunday, March 24 , with a beautiful day in store.

A successful first. For the first edition of Héraia, highlighting women's sport, the BLMA broke the attendance record for a women's basketball match in club in France, with a number of 8,069 spectators, during the match against Tarbes, this Sunday at the Arena Sud de France. An audience filled with approximately half by children, to be a continuation of the discovery day, which largely enabled us to beat the previous figure.

The Hautes-Pyrénées club was already associated with the old record. Indeed, the previous record was 7,407 people for a derby between Mourenx and Tarbes, on February 12, 2006, at the Palais des Sports de Pau. Mourenx’s coach at the time was none other than Valéry Demory, today coach of the BLMA Gazelles.

A high-level competition and entertainment for everyone

Before the basketball match, the day was focused on discovering the sport. She had started beating to the rhythm of the marching band with a women's cross fit competition from 10 a.m. lasting until the beginning of the afternoon. 16 athletes with great motivation were able to participate and demonstrate their talent in front of a hundred spectators gathered in front of the competition.

Spectators gathered around the crossfit competition. Giacomo Italiano – Giacomo Italiano

Around this competition, 27 stands were set up to introduce the sport to everyone, particularly women and girls. Climbing, ice hockey, pickleball, pilates… In the aisles, all sports were represented from the most well-known sport, football, to lesser-known sports, such as kangoo jumping, there was something for everyone.

The children were able to discover wheelchair basketball. Giacomo Italiano – Giacomo Italiano

Then the denouement arrived for all the spectators with the opening of the real arena at 3:30 p.m. with the large hall of the Arena to watch the meeting between the Gazelles of Lattes-Montpellier and Tarbes. The minutes passed and the atmosphere rose with the "clap-clap" until it was boiling at the time of kick-off.

The organizers could have a smile. The day was a real success for this first edition of Héraia which will surely bring others in the years to come. An edition which will go down in history French women's basketball and women's sport in general.