Team USA's dramatic win in the women's basketball final allowed the United States to tie China with 40 gold medals each, with the Americans ultimately topping the final Paris 2024 tally by virtue of total medals.
For the first time in the history of the modern Olympics, there is a tie a top the medal tally.
Team USA and China ended the Olympic Games Paris 2024 with 40 gold medals each, with the Americans “winning” the medal race on the final day.
As both countries were tied with gold medals, the next tiebreak is silver, and the Americans handily won that category with 44. Team USA also had 42 bronze medals for a total of 126.
China had 27 silver medals and 24 bronze medals for a total of 91.
The Chinese entered the final day with a 39-38 lead in the gold medal race, even as Team USA successfully defended their Olympic championship over France in men’s basketball.
After China added a final gold medal in weightlifting courtesy of Li Wenwen, it was up to the American women to come through. They did.
Jennifer Valente struck gold in cycling, and then Team USA won a dramatic women’s basketball gold medal game against France as the Americans top the medal tally again for the fourth straight Olympics.
Team USA won a bunch of their gold medals in athletics, winning 14. Gabby Thomas bannered the US track and field team with three gold medals.
Torri Huske was the most bemedaled American in Paris 2024 with three gold medals and two silver medals in swimming, followed by Simone Biles with three gold medals and one silver in artistic gymnastics.
For China, eight gold medals came from diving, while shooting, table tennis, and weightlifting produced five gold medals each.
Pan Zhanle (swimming) and Sun Yingsha (table tennis) were the top Chinese in terms of individual performance, each winning two gold medals and one silver. Zhang Yufei (swimming) won the most medal out of anyone in Paris 2024 with six, taking five bronze medals and one silver.
For the second straight Olympics, Japan is third in the medal tally with 20 gold medals, 12 silver, and 13 bronze.
Wrestling proved to be the top draw for the Japanese, winning eight gold medals. However, it was Shinnosuke Oka who emerged as the top athlete for Japan, winning three gold medals and one bronze in artistic gymnastics.
Australia finished fourth with 18 gold medals, 19 silver medals, and 16 bronze medals. 18 gold medals are the most for the Australians in one Olympics campaign.
Host France landed in the top-5 with 16 gold medals, 26 silver medals, and 22 bronze medals. Swimmer Leon Marchand won four gold medals for the French, the most by an individual athlete in Paris 2024.
Meanwhile, the Philippines finished in 37th place with two gold medals, courtesy of Carlos Yulo in artistic gymnastics, and two bronze medals in boxing from Aira Villegas and Nesthy Petecio.