The United States topped the medals table at the Paris Olympics with 40 golds after the final title was decided on Sunday, finishing above China only by virtue of their 44 silvers.
China, which was the last team apart from the US to top the standings when they did it on home soil at the 2008 Beijing Games, also won 40 golds but managed only 27 silvers.
The Americans also bagged 42 bronze medals to China’s 24 to add to their tallies.
The US women’s basketball team secured their country’s pre-eminence by edging host nation France in a breathless finish to win the final gold of the Games. The US also won the most total medals with 126 to China’s 91.
France won 16 golds to finish fifth on the table and their total tally of 64 medals was their best for more than a century. The host nation placed fourth in the overall medal count.
The United States finished on top of the overall medal tally at the end of the Paris Olympics
Meanwhile, Great Britain went third with 14 golds, 22 silvers, and 29 bronzes for a total of 65 medals.
While Japan managed to bag 20 golds, their 12 silvers and 13 bronzes placed them sixth overall with 45.
Australia had an impressive showing and will bring 18 gold medals down under. Additionally, they tallied 19 silver and 16 bronze medals to finish fifth overall with 53.
Netherlands’ 34 medals (15 gold, 7 silver, 12 bronze), Germany’s 33 (12, 13, 8) and South Korea’s 32 (13, 9, 20) wrapped up the top 10 in the medal count.
The American stars shine in Paris as Katie Ledecky, Simone Biles, and Rai Benjamin bagged golds in their respective disciplines.
The women’s basketball team closed the show with a close win over France on Sunday
LeBron James won the MVP award after men’s basketball overcame the host nation for gold
Simone Biles won three gold medals and a silver in various gymnastics events
Swimmer Katie Ledecky was a key contributor the United States 40 gold medals in Paris
Furthermore, the men’s basketball side featuring LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and the NBA’s finest provided a prequel for their female counterparts, beating France in the final, 98-87.
A’ja Wilson and Co. closed the show by overcoming a resilient French side in a four-quarter slugfest, 67-66.
The Americans secured gold in women’s basketball for the eighth straight Olympics behind Wilson’s 21 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks.
‘The dynasty we have built here at USAB is incredible. I’m so proud and blessed to be a part of it, but God was working today,’ Wilson said postgame. ‘I’m so proud of the resilience my team showed, we could have fumbled it many times, but we pulled through.’
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