The U.S. won the XXXIII edition of the Olympic Games on Sunday in Paris, but it was just by the skin of their teeth.
They topped the 2024 Games medals table by winning 40 gold medals after the final of the last event of the Games was decided on Sunday.
But they only finished above China by virtue of winning more silver medals than the Asian giants, scooping 44 while their foes had 27.
China were the last team apart from the U.S. to top the standings when they did it on home soil at the 2008 Beijing Games.
The U.S. women’s basketball team helped to seal their country’s dominance by edging hosts France to win the final gold medal of the Games.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Americans also won the most total medals with 126 to China’s 91, after winning 42 bronze medals as against China’s 24.
Japan were third with 20 gold, 12 silver and 13 bronze for a total of 45, while Australia were in fourth place with 18 gold, 19 silver and 16 bronze for a total of 53.
Hosts France was in fifth place with 16 gold, 26 silver, and 22 bronze, totalling 64.
However, only 12 African teams made it to the medals table.
Kenya led the lot after garnering four gold, two silver and five bronze for a total of 11 to finish in 17th place.
Other African countries which made the medals table include Algeria who were placed joint 39th with two gold and one bronze for a total of three.
The others are South Africa in joint 44th with a total six medals (1 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze), and Ethiopia in 47th with a total of four (1 gold, 3 silver).
Egypt and Tunisia were joint 52nd with a total of three medals each, comprising one gold, one silver and one bronze medal.
Botswana and Uganda were also on joint 55th with two medals each, made up of one gold and one silver medal.
Morocco was placed 60th with one gold and one bronze for a total two, while Côte d’Ivoire were in 84th place alongside Cape Verde and Zambia with one bronze each.
NAN reports that Nigeria did not however make the medals table at the Games which had 205 countries participating.
The next edition of the Games is scheduled for 2028 in Los Angeles in the U.S. – NAN.
