Amid the ongoing rivalry between the U.S. and China, the United States emerged victorious in the Olympics.
On the final day of the competition, the U.S. women’s basketball team secured a gold medal, and the U.S. and China finished with 40 gold medals each.
However, the U.S. claimed the top spot in the overall rankings by earning more silver and bronze medals. The U.S. accumulated 126 medals, including 40 gold, 44 silver, and 42 bronze. In contrast, China won 40 gold, 27 silver, and 24 bronze for 91 medals.
China also had a strong showing. Despite winning the most medals since the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which were held on home soil, China ultimately fell short against the United States.
The key to the U.S.-China contest was women’s basketball. On August 12, at the final held at the Bercy Arena in Paris, the U.S. women’s team achieved their eighth consecutive Olympic gold by narrowly defeating the host team, France, 67-66.
The dramatic victory in women’s basketball enabled the United States to withstand China’s late surge and secure the top spot in the overall standings.
This marks the fourth consecutive Summer Olympics, in which the United States finished first.
Meanwhile, on the final day of the Games, South Korea’s Park Hye Jeong and Seong Seung Min won silver and bronze medals in weightlifting and modern pentathlon, respectively. South Korea concluded the Olympics with 32 medals (13 gold, 9 silver, 10 bronze), finishing 8th in the overall standings.
South Korea’s 13 gold medals tie the highest number achieved in the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics. Additionally, South Korea fell just one medal short of its record total from the 1988 Seoul Olympics, which had 33 medals (12 gold, 10 silver, 11 bronze).
Considering that the 1988 Seoul Olympics benefited from a home advantage, it’s fair to say that this year’s performance could be regarded as South Korea’s best.