The United States secured the top position of the 2024 Paris Olympics medal table dramatically, clinching a nail-biting 67-66 victory over host nation France in the women’s basketball final. This win marked the US team’s eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal in the sport and tied the US with China for the most gold medals at 40 each.
Led by two-time WNBA champion A’ja Wilson, who contributed a game-high 21 points and 13 rebounds, the US women’s basketball team extended their Olympic winning streak to 61 games. The closely contested match saw France, buoyed by a passionate home crowd, push the favored Americans to the limit. Gabby Williams led the French effort with 19 points, but her last-second shot fell short of forcing overtime.
The basketball victory was crucial in the overall medal race, as it allowed the US to match China’s gold medal count. While both nations finished with 40 golds, the US accumulated a far greater total medal count of 126, compared to China’s 91. The US showed particular strength in athletics and swimming, earning 34 and 28 medals respectively in these disciplines.
China demonstrated dominance in diving with eight gold medals, while the US excelled in athletics, securing 14 golds. Japan finished third in the gold medal count with 20, followed by Australia (18) and host nation France (16).
This Olympics also saw WNBA veteran Diana Taurasi make history by becoming the first athlete to win six gold medals in any team sport, despite not playing in the final game.
The closely contested medal table and the thrilling basketball final provided a fitting end to the Paris Olympics, showcasing the high level of international competition and the continued global dominance of US athletes across a wide range of sports.
