USA tops medal table ahead of China thanks to last-gasp gold in Paris with Olympics team securing 126 overall

The Americans started the final day of competition one gold behind China

TEAM USA ended the Paris Olympics on a high note by securing gold in the final event to top the medal table.

Team USA celebrate victory over France in the women’s basketball finalCredit: AFP

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Jackie Young (left) and Kahleah Copper celebrate their gold medal successCredit: EPA

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The women’s basketball team secured Team USA their 40th gold medal in ParisCredit: AFP

The nervy 67-66 win over France gave Team USA their 40th gold medal of the Olympics.

With China also securing 40 golds, USA topped the table based on their silver medal count.

Overall, Team USA finished with 40 golds, 44 silvers and 42 bronze medals.

Meanwhile, China collected 40 golds, 27 silvers and 24 bronzes.

The US entered the final day of competition with 38 golds, one behind China’s tally of 39.

China’s Li Wenwen put the pressure on the Americans by winning gold in the women’s +81kg weightlifting.

The USA’s women’s volleyball team and the wrestler Kennedy Blades added to the total medal count with silver medals.

Then Jennifer Valente came through in the omnium before the Team USA women’s basketball team ended the Olympics on the highest of highs.

It marked the first tie at the top of the table in Summer Olympics history.

The only previous Olympics gold medal tie occurred in the Winter Games in 1948 between Norway and Sweden.

Team USA medal stripped
Meanwhile, the final tally of 126 medals is the most for the Americans since the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

Team USA put together their best medal haul in track and field with 34.

At the Tokyo Games in 2021, the United States narrowly came out on top in the gold medal race, besting China 39 to 38 gold.

The Americans were more dominant in Rio 2016 when they finished with 46 gold medals.

Team USA are expected to top the medal count at the 2028 Olympics, which will be on home soil on Los Angeles.

The Americans, however, lost one medal over the weekend after gymnastics star Jordan Chiles was stripped of her bronze medal.

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Team USA swimmer Katie Ledecky added to the Americans’ medal countCredit: Getty

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Gymnast Jordan Chiles (right) has been stripped of a bronze medal, however. Simone Biles (left) won three gold medals in gymnastics and a silverCredit: Getty

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Gabby Thomas celebrates victory in the women’s 200m finalCredit: Rex
Chiles initially finished fifth in the women’s floor final in Paris.

She was then bumped up to bronze after United States coach Cecile Landi successfully argued that her score had been under-marked.

But now the Court of Arbitration for Sport has concluded that the review was submitted four seconds beyond the one-minute deadline.

Now the International Olympic Committee has told Chiles that she must return her bronze medal, with Romanian Ana Barbosu being given the podium place.

The US Olympic & Paralympic Committee has vowed to fight the ruling.

“We firmly believe that Jordan rightfully earned the bronze medal, and there were critical errors in both the initial scoring by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and the subsequent CAS appeal process that need to be addressed,” it said in a statement.

“Given these circumstances, we are committed to pursuing an appeal to help Jordan Chiles receive the recognition she deserves.

“We remain dedicated to supporting her as an Olympic champion and will continue to work diligently to resolve this matter swiftly and fairly.”

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Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant (left to right) pose with their men’s basketball gold medalsCredit: Getty

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Noah Lyles won gold in the men’s 100m finalCredit: Getty

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Team USA celebrate victory in the women’s 4x100m relayCredit