GENERAL NEWS

United States finishes 2024 Summer Olympics tied with China for most gold medals

Aug 11, 2024, 8:40 PM | Updated: Aug 12, 2024, 7:48 am

The United States team poses for a picture with their gold medals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer...

The United States team poses for a picture with their gold medals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

PARIS (AP) — The U.S. women’s basketball team held off France on Sunday to win gold in the final event of the Paris Olympics, and that hardware was needed for the Americans to tie China for the most with 40.

The U.S. easily won the total medal count with 126. Aside from the 40 gold, the Americans won 42 silver and 44 bronze.

“I saw the medal count beforehand so I knew,” said U.S. women’s coach Cheryl Reeve, who thought to herself, “that’s what we need — more pressure.”

The U.S. lost a bronze medal Sunday when the International Olympic Committee said it was reallocating the bronze given to Jordan Chiles in the women’s floor final to Romanian Ana Barbosu. U.S. Olympic officials are appealing.

China came in second in the total medal race with 91. China won 40 gold, 27 silver and 24 bronze. Japan was a distant third with 20 gold medals, 45 overall. Great Britain won 65 medals, but only 14 were gold for an overall ranking of seventh.

The medal rankings are done by gold, and the last time the U.S. didn’t top the standings was at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, when the Americans finished second to China, 48-36.

The U.S. has won the most overall medals in eight consecutive Summer Games. The last time the Americans failed to top the medal leaderboard was the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. The “Unified Team” featuring athletes from ex-Soviet republics won both the most golds (45) and total medals (112), while the Americans were second in both categories with 37 golds and 108 medals.

The U.S. had been battling with China for the lead in gold medals the last several days and entered Sunday, the final day of competition, trailing China 39-38.

China picked up an early gold medal Sunday when Li Wenwen won the top medal in women’s +81kg weightlifting. The U.S. followed with another gold when Jennifer Valente defended her women’s omnium title in cycling track.

It then came down to the women’s basketball game, and the U.S. won gold for the eighth consecutive time.

The United States won a total of five medals on Sunday, including a silver in women’s freestyle 76kg (wrestling), a team silver in women’s volleyball and a bronze in men’s water polo.

Three years ago at the Tokyo Olympics, the U.S. beat China with 39 gold medals to 38. The U.S. won 113 medals in Tokyo. The Americans were far more dominant at the Rio Olympics in 2016, when they won 46 gold medals to 27 for Great Britain 26 for China.

General News

WM Phoenix Open...

Alex Weiner

WM Phoenix Open announces Pro-Am pairings, including Corbin Burnes and Jonathan Gannon

The WM Phoenix Open revealed Pro-Am pairings for Wednesday at TCP Scottsdale, including a group with Corbin Burnes and Jonathan Gannon.

5 days ago

Arizona Sports 98.7 program director Erin Maloney...

Arizona Sports

Erin Maloney named program director for Arizona Sports 98.7, ESPN 620

Bonneville Phoenix announced Thursday that Erin Maloney has been named program director at Arizona Sports 98.7 and ESPN 620.

10 days ago

Scottie Scheffler...

Arizona Sports

Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler commits to WM Phoenix Open

Scottie Scheffler, the top-ranked golfer in the world, has committed to play the 2025 WM Phoenix Open, chairman Matt Mooney announced.

12 days ago

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith celebrates after scoring against Notre Dame during first ha...

Associated Press

Ohio State wins 1st national title since 2014, outlasting Notre Dame in CFP championship game

Ohio State can celebrate another title after holding off a Notre Dame comeback bid to walk away with a 34-23 victory over the Fighting Irish.

20 days ago

Notre Dame...

Associated Press

Notre Dame advances to national championship with game-winning kick vs. Penn State

Notre Dame gets late interception and field goal to make national championship game with Orange Bowl win over Penn State.

1 month ago

Sugar Bowl, New Orleans...

Associated Press

Sugar Bowl between Georgia, Notre Dame postponed after deadly attack in New Orleans

The Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame in New Orleans was postponed after a truck plowed into a New Year’s crowd early Wednesday.

1 month ago

United States finishes 2024 Summer Olympics tied with China for most gold medals