Paris Olympics Medal Tally As USA Beat China to Top Spot Following Dramatic Gold in Women's Basketball Final

In a dramatic and historic finale at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the United States women's basketball team secured the last gold medal of the Games, clinching their eighth consecutive Olympic title in a nail-biting 67-66 victory over host nation France.

This triumph not only added another chapter to the storied legacy of USA Basketball but also propelled the United States to the top of the Olympic medal table, edging out China by the narrowest of margins. Let's take a look at the Paris Olympics Medal Tally.

Paris Olympics Medal Tally

The final match was a showcase of high-stakes basketball, with the US team, known for their dominance, facing an unexpectedly fierce challenge from the French squad. Trailing 53-51 with just five minutes left on the clock, the Americans were in unfamiliar territory, staring down the possibility of an Olympic upset. However, as champions do, they rallied, displaying resilience and composure under pressure.

The atmosphere inside the Bercy Arena was electric, with the presence of NBA superstar LeBron James and French President Emmanuel Macron among the spectators adding to the intensity of the occasion. The tension reached its peak in the closing moments when, with the US leading 67-64, France's Gabby Williams, who scored 19 points and was a standout performer for her team, sank a buzzer-beater. The shot, however, was deemed to be just inside the three-point line, making it worth only two points and leaving France agonizingly short of forcing overtime.

This victory brought the US women's basketball team their tenth Olympic gold medal, further solidifying their place as the most successful team in the sport's history. A'ja Wilson was the star of the game, leading all scorers with 21 points, while Diana Taurasi made history as the first athlete to win six Olympic golds in basketball. The win was especially poignant for Brittney Griner, who secured a gold medal in her first major international tournament since her release from a Russian prison in 2022.

The win also meant that the United States and China finished the Games tied with 40 gold medals each. However, the US edged out China in the overall medal count, with 126 medals to China's 91, thus securing the top spot on the medal table for the fourth consecutive Olympics.

As the Paris 2024 Olympics came to a close, the thrilling basketball final served as a fitting conclusion to a spectacular and emotionally charged Games.