PARIS (AP) — The U.S. women’s basketball team held off France to win gold in the final event of the Paris Olympics, and that hardware was needed for the Americans to tie China for the most with 40.
The U.S. easily won the total medal count with 126. Aside from the 40 gold, the Americans won 42 silver and 44 bronze. China came in second in the total medal race with 91. China won 40 gold, 27 silver and 24 bronze. Japan was a distant third with 20 gold medals, 45 overall. Britain won 65 medals, but only 14 were gold for an overall ranking of seventh.
See full Olympic coverage here.
Gold medalist Brittney Griner of Team United States takes a photo with teammates during the Women’s basketball medal ceremony on day sixteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 11, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Sabrina Ionescu #6 of Team United States celebrates with the American after her team’s victory against Team France during the Women’s Gold Medal game between Team France and Team United States on day sixteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 11, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Spain’s Agustin Casado is in action during the bronze medal handball match between Spain and Slovenia at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Riders compete in the women’s track cycling omnium points race of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines National Velodrome in Montigny-le-Bretonneux, south-west of Paris, on August 11, 2024. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP) (Photo by THOMAS SAMSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Serbia’s players celebrate with their coach after winning the men’s water polo gold medal match between Serbia and Croatia during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Paris La Defense Arena in Paris on August 11, 2024. (Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP) (Photo by ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP via Getty Images)
United States’ Napheesa Collier (11) and Marieme Badiane (22), of France, during a women’s gold medal basketball game between the United States and France at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, Pool)
Luca Spiegel of Germany crashes during the men’s keirin event, at the Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
USA’s #13 Jackie Young (L) and France’s #11 Valeriane Ayayi go for a rebound in the women’s Gold Medal basketball match between France and the USA during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris on August 11, 2024. (Photo by Aris MESSINIS / AFP) (Photo by ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Serbia’s players get prepared for the men’s water polo gold medal match between Serbia and Croatia, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Nurul Akmal of Indonesia competes during the women’s +81kg weightlifting event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Japan’s Yuka Kagami celebrates after defeating Kennedy Alexis Blades, of the United States, in their women’s freestyle 76kg final wrestling match, at Champ-de-Mars Arena, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Spain players celebrate their victory after the bronze medal handball match between Spain and Slovenia at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
United States’ A’ja Wilson (9) grabs a loose ball in front of Janelle Salaun (13), of France, during a women’s gold medal basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
An overview shows Slovenia’s right back #11 Jure Dolenec (R) shooting at Spain’s goalkeeper #01 Gonzalo Perez De Vargas during the men’s bronze medal handball match between Spain vs Slovenia of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, northern France, on August 11, 2024. (Photo by Sameer Al-DOUMY / AFP) (Photo by SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images)
Lisseth Betzaida Ayovi Cabezas of Ecuador reacts during the women’s +81kg weightlifting event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Denmark’s left back #24 Mikkel Hansen is tossed at the end of the men’s gold medal handball match between Germany and Denmark of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, northern France, on August 11, 2024. (Photo by Sameer AL-DOUMY / AFP) (Photo by SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images)
Sabrina Ionescu #6 of Team United States celebrates after her team’s victory against Team France during the Women’s Gold Medal game between Team France and Team United States on day sixteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 11, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
France’s Marie Oteiza falls while riding Babouchka de la Bride IFCE during the final riding show of the women’s individual in the modern pentathlon at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Versailles, France. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy)
Japan’s Yuka Kagami celebrates after defeating Kennedy Alexis Blades, of the United States, in their women’s freestyle 76kg final wrestling match, at Champ-de-Mars Arena, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
An overview shows USA’s #09 A’ja Wilson shooting in the women’s Gold Medal basketball match between France and the USA during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris on August 11, 2024. (Photo by Bryan SNYDER / POOL / AFP) (Photo by BRYAN SNYDER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Sifan Hassan, of the Netherlands, celebrates after crossing the finish line to win the gold medal at the end of the women’s marathon competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
France’s #12 Iliana Rupert (L) and USA’s #09 A’ja Wilson go for a rebound in the women’s Gold Medal basketball match between France and the USA during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris on August 11, 2024. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
US’ Jennifer Valente celebrates her victory after winning the women’s track cycling omnium event of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines National Velodrome in Montigny-le-Bretonneux, south-west of Paris, on August 11, 2024. (Photo by Emmanuel DUNAND / AFP) (Photo by EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images)
Colombia’s Tatiana Renteria Renteria celebrates after defeating Ecuador’s Genesis Rosangela Reasco Valdez in their women’s freestyle 76kg bronze medal wrestling match, at Champ-de-Mars Arena, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Myriam Sylla of Italy celebrates during a gold medal women’s volleyball match between the United States of America and Italy at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Assistant coach Joni Taylor of Team United States hugs Kahleah Copper #7 of Team United States after their team’s win against Team France during the Women’s Gold Medal game between Team France and Team United States on day sixteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 11, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
