Paris Olympics: Final Gold Medal Tally Revealed

This year’s gold medal contest came down to the very last event.

WASHINGTON — The Paris Summer Games concluded with a thrilling finale, after two weeks brimming with intense competitions, unforgettable moments, and numerous medals.

As the curtain fell, the United States emerged triumphant, leading the medal tally with a total of 126 victories. China followed with 91 medals, Great Britain with 65, and host country France came fourth with 64.

Team USA had a particularly strong showing, notably led by its female athletes who secured a significant portion of the medals.

The battle for gold was fierce between the U.S. and China. For the first time in Olympic history, both nations ended with an equal number of gold medals, 40 each, underscoring their dominance in the international sports arena.

Trailing China by one medal, the U.S. women’s basketball team claimed the final gold, marking their eighth consecutive win and breaking an American men’s record from 1936-68.

Opportunities for the U.S. to surpass China for the most golds were missed. The women’s volleyball team, defending their title, lost to Italy and settled for silver. American high jumper Shelby McEwen also secured silver after a jump-off against New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr.

Track and field events were a stronghold for the U.S., contributing 34 medals, including 14 golds, a performance unseen since the early 20th century. Swimming, despite fewer golds than usual, saw the U.S. winning 28 medals, including 8 golds.

China excelled in diving, securing eight golds and surpassing the United States in the all-time diving gold medal count.

The last Summer Olympics where the U.S. did not lead in gold medals was the 2008 Beijing Games. In the recent Tokyo Olympics, the U.S. and China similarly finished first and second in the medal standings.