By Victor Kanayo
The United States Sunday capped their sweet sail in the 2024 Olympic Games with a 67-66 slim victory over France in the women’s basketball final.
Their win was a historic eighth consecutive Olympic crown while denying the hosts the golden finish to the Paris Games that had seemed within their grasp.
The eight straight golds broke a tie with the American men’s program that won seven in a row from 1936-68.
Their victory came less than 24 hours after the US men’s team also beat France in the title game.
This was the first time in Olympic history that both gold medal games featured the same two teams.
The victories also meant USA has maintained its stranglehold on Olympics basketball, Daily Mail reports.
Tops Overall
Meanwhile USA topped the medals table at the Paris Olympics with 40 golds after the final title was decided on Sunday, finishing above China only by virtue of their 44 silvers.
China, who were the last team apart from the US to top the standings when they did it on home soil at the 2008 Beijing Games, also won 40 golds but managed only 27 silvers.
Host nation, France came fifth with 16 gold, 26 silver and 22 bronze, with total haul of 64 medals, while Netherlands came sixth with 15 gold, seven silver and 12 bronze with a total of 34 medals.
Great Britain came seventh with 14 gold, 22 silver and 29 bronze with a total of 65 medals, while Republic of Korea came eighth with 13 gold, nine silver and 10 bronze with a total of 32 medals.
Italy is in the ninth position with 12 gold, 13 silver and 15 bronze with a total of 40 medals, while Germany came 10th with 12 gold, 13 silver and eight bronze with a total of 33 medals.
Africa’s Lane
On top of Africa’s medal list is Kenya placed 17th on the table with 10 medals, comprising of four gold, 2 silver and four bronze.
Other African nations with medals include Algeria, Ethiopia, Botswana, South Africa, Tunisia among others.
Sadly, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation ended the Games with no med
al to show.
