Zhang Ning top-scored at the Chengdu Masters (also pictured bottom right) to help China’s men qualify for the Olympics as the third-ranked 3x3 outfit. FIBA3x3

After a grueling global schedule of ranking tournaments, China's 3x3 players land Paris prize

Nonstop travel, airport layovers, lost luggage and injuries that never got enough rest — and that was all before the weekly dogfights on the court tipped off.

It has sure been a hectic Olympic qualifying campaign for China's 3x3 basketball players, but their dedication and perseverance have ultimately landed them at their desired destination — next year's Paris Games.

Both China's men's and women's 3x3 national programs finished in the top three of the FIBA rankings by Nov 1, the cutoff date to decide the top three automatic qualifiers for Paris 2024.

Another 10 qualification quotas, five per gender, will be up for grabs at three qualifying tournaments early next year to decide the final fields for the half-court game's second Olympic tournament, following the sport's debut at the Tokyo Games in 2021.