US pip China in Olympic medal table race
US pip China in Olympic medal table race. The United States pipped China for top spot in the battle of medals Sunday.
In a thrilling finale that capped 17 days of spellbinding action, the United States women’s basketball team squeezed past France 67-66 to clinch the last gold of the Games.
The win – the eighth consecutive Olympic women’s basketball won by the USA – ensured the Americans finished level with China on 40 golds each as the games drew to a close.
The USA however finished on top of the overall medal table with a total of 126 medals, with China in second place on 91.
Wrestling, weightlifting, water polo, volleyball, modern pentathlon, handball, and track cycling were the other sports to crown Olympic champions on the last day.
Hungary’s Michelle Gulyas ran and shot to Olympic gold in the modern pentathlon, with home favorite Elodie Clouvel roared on to clinch silver.
In weightlifting, China’s jubilant Li Wenwen lifted her coach into the air instead of the bar, having already secured gold.
At the velodrome, Dutch star Harrie Lavreysen surged to the men’s keirin for his third gold of the Games, ending British dominance of the event they had won at every Olympics since 2008.
New Zealand’s Ellesse Andrews blasted to the women’s sprint title to add to her keirin gold, while American cyclist Jennifer Valente won the women’s omnium.
In men’s water polo, Serbia won their third straight Olympic gold with a 13-11 victory over Croatia at La Defense Arena and pulled their coach into the pool in the celebrations.
As the sport ends, attention turns to the closing ceremony and the next Olympics in Los Angeles in four years.
“On August 11, the Olympic Games will be over, and the Olympic flame will be extinguished,” said Thomas Jolly, who masterminded the unique opening ceremony along the River Seine.
“That moment will remind us just how precious are these Olympic Games,” added Jolly, whose opening ceremony sparked outrage in some quarters with a scene that appeared to parody the Last Supper.
