US, China battle to 40-40 tie for many Olympic gold medals

Norman Ray

World Courant

An in depth view of the Eiffel Tower with the Olympic Rings in the course of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games on July 26, 2024 in Paris, France.

Cameron Spencer | Getty Photos

The US and China every gained 40 gold medals within the first Summer season Video games attract Olympic historical pastwith the Individuals ending on Sunday tied with the win within the ultimate occasion, ladies’s basketball.

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The US matched China on the idea of their thrilling 67-66 victory over France in a surprisingly thrilling match for gold in ladies’s basketball.

China entered Sunday with a 39-38 lead over the U.S., with the Individuals showing to have a slight benefit because the U.S. sought its eighth straight gold medal in ladies’s basketball and its second straight title in ladies’s volleyball.

Within the afternoon, numerous outcomes adopted that decided the ultimate standings.

China’s Li Wenwen gained gold in heavyweight weightlifting for ladies in what might have been a demise knell for American hopes of capturing the entire gold. American hopes had been additional dampened when Resident of Chicago Kennedy Blades, who surprisingly gained the gold medal in wrestling, misplaced to 76-kg rival Yuka Kagami of Japan. In a shocking defeat, Italy defeated the USA with a shocking 25-18, 25-20, 25-17 victory in volleyball.Embellished bike owner Jennifer Valentefrom San Diego, the US saved by defend her gold within the ladies’s omnium.

Workforce USA gold medalist Noah Lyles celebrates on the rostrum in the course of the males’s 100 meters medal ceremony on the Paris Olympics on Monday.

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That gave the closely favored American ladies the chance to do enterprise, which they narrowly succeeded in doing, successful their eighth straight gold medal.

“I did not realize it till somebody advised me after the sport, however I am completely satisfied that we gained, for ourselves and for the USA Basketball group, but additionally for your complete Workforce USA delegation, so we are able to tie for first,” WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart advised reporters after the gold medal recreation.

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U.S. coach Cheryl Reeve smiled wryly and mentioned she knew what was at stake earlier than the match in opposition to France, however advised she had not advised the gamers.

“I noticed the medal depend beforehand, I did,” she mentioned, laughing. “That is what we want, extra strain.”

The final time the US did not win probably the most summer season golds was in Beijing in 2008, when the hosts defeated the Americas in high podium visits, 48-36.

Though there has by no means been a tie within the historical past of the Summer season Video games, there have been three ties on the Winter Olympics.

The newest draw was between Norway and Germany, every Profitable 14 gold medals in PyeongChang 2018.

The US nonetheless completed with probably the most medals: 126 in Paris this yr.

The US has not didn’t win most medals since 1992when the “Unified Workforce”, athletes from the previous Soviet Union republics, gained 112 medals, together with 45 gold. The Individuals made 108 podium visits in Barcelona, ​​​​37 of them on the highest step.

Gold medalist Simone Biles of Workforce USA poses in the course of the medal ceremony of the ladies’s all-around inventive gymnastics ultimate on August 1.

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The 40 gold medals from 329 occasions equate to successful the highest honour 12.1% of the time, barely greater than Tokyo (11.4%) however lower than Rio (15%) and London (15.8%).

The American effort in Paris can greatest be illustrated by American swimmers who gained probably the most medals and gold medals however returned with the sensation that that they had left tools on deck.

Silver medalist Anastasiia Kirpichnikova of France, gold medalist Katie Ledecky of the US and bronze medalist Isabel Gose of Germany will stand on the rostrum within the ladies’s 1500-meter freestyle on the Olympic Video games on July 31.

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Whereas veteran Katie Ledecky right here was the American star, with two gold, one silver and one bronze medal, the present was stolen by Frenchman Léon Marchandwho gained 4 golds, one bronze and 4 Olympic information, and Canadian prodigy Summer season McIntosh, who gained three golds and one silver.

Regardless of their athletic rivalry, the U.S. and China aren’t evenly matched in lots of occasions. One of many few locations the place they compete on equal phrases is within the pool.

One of many key moments of the 40-40 draw got here every week in the past on Sunday, when China gained the 4×100 meter medley relay due to 100m freestyle champion Pan Zhanle, who defeated the American silver medallists.

“It wasn’t a nasty recreation in any respect,” US swimmer Caeleb Dressel mentioned about his group.

“The objective once we go to the Olympics and the world championships is to win gold medals. There are different nations which are changing into very dominant — Australia and the US are the 2 most recognised. However from these Video games I noticed loads of Italy, China, France. So the wealth is simply unfold out. I do not suppose we’re essentially getting worse.”

Lee Kiefer of the USA (heart), Lauren Scruggs of the USA (left) and Eleanor Harvey of Canada rejoice on stage in the course of the ladies’s foil medal ceremony on July 28.

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Numerous nations that might usually not be inside a javelin throw of the rostrum have produced a number of medal winners over the previous two weeks.

Earlier than touchdown in Paris, Israel had solely 13 medals on the Summer season Olympics, seven of which had been collected right here.

Ecuador gained 5 medals, greater than double its complete medal depend this summer season.

Kyrgyzstan has reached the rostrum six occasions, which is spectacular contemplating the Central Asian nation solely gained seven Olympic medals in Paris.

Earlier than Paris 2024, Moldova had gained six in nationwide historical past. The tiny former Soviet republic had stood on the rostrum in Paris 4 occasions.

— NBC Information’ David Okay. Li reported from Paris and Sean Nevin reported from London.

US, China battle to 40-40 tie for many Olympic gold medals

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