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Tony Parker seeks 'perfect ending' to international career

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/sports/7/2/parker-070516.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Tony Parker answers questions from the Philippine media. Richard Esguerra, <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/basketball/photos" target="_blank">ABS-CBN Sports</a></div></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines – France&#x27;s celebrated point guard Tony Parker will retire from international competition after this year, and he is hoping that his final year wearing national team colors will be a successful one.Parker has led France to great success in the international stage, including a gold medal in the 2013 Euro Basket – its first ever – wherein he was also named tournament MVP. He also led France to a stint in the 2012 Olympic Games.&quot;It&#x27;s just been a great experience,&quot; Parker said of his stint with the French national team. &quot;I&#x27;m enjoying every moment.&quot;&quot;I already announced that it will be my last time playing with the national team, so hopefully we qualify and we go to the Olympics,&quot; he added. &quot;It will be the perfect ending to my (international) career.&quot;(READ: <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/basketball/news/2016/07/04/defiant-tab-fires-back-france-we-stand-chance-12999" target="_blank">Defiant Tab fires back against France</a>)Parker has been playing for the French national team for 16 years, but he knew as early as 2013 that his time with Les Bleus was drawing to a close.&quot;It&#x27;s always been my goal – to bring a gold medal for French basketball, to win a championship. We&#x27;ve never won anything, so when we won in 2013 (in the Euro Basket), for me personally, I&#x27;ve achieved my goal, so I knew the end was pretty close,&quot; he added.He represented France once more when they hosted the 2015 Euro Basket, but decided that 2016 will be his last year wearing the national team jersey.&quot;I said, 2016 would be a proper ending, you know, to finish in the Olympics,&quot; Parker said.Yet he is not one to wax sentimental about his international career, preferring instead to focus on the moment.&quot;I have a hard time to realize that it&#x27;s the last time,&quot; Parker admitted. &quot;Right now, I&#x27;m just focusing on getting back in shape, and getting ready for the tournament.&quot;His French farewell tour starts on Tuesday, when they take on Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Manila. With Parker and other NBA stars like Boris Diaw in the team, France is favored to win the tournament and earn a berth to the Games in Rio de Janeiro.Parker is shrugging off the favorites tag and the pressure it carries, instead insisting that he will simply enjoy every moment of his time left with Les Bleus.&quot;I just want to enjoy myself, enjoy playing with my teammates, and just try to enjoy every moment,&quot; he said.France is grouped with the hosts Philippines and New Zealand in Pool B of the OQT in Manila, while Senegal, Canada and Turkey are in the other group. The top two teams from each pool advances to the crossover semifinals to contest the lone Rio ticket at stake.For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/" target="_blank">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.

France's celebrated point guard Tony Parker will retire from international competition after this year, and he is hoping that his final year wearing national team colors will be a successful one.

Tony Parker seeks 'perfect ending' to international career

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Tony Parker seeks 'perfect ending' to international career

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 05, 2016 04:22 PM PHT

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Updated July 05, 2016 11:27 PM PHT

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fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament

gilas pilipinas

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