U.S. dominates final medals table, ties China for golds

The United States topped the medals table at the Paris Olympics with 126, outdistancing second-place China by 35.

With the United States pulling out a thrilling victory over France to win the women's basketball tournament Sunday in the final event of the Games, the Americans wound up with 40 golds, tying China for the most.

While the Americans ruled on the track, winning 14 golds, the Chinese were dominant in diving, winning all eight events. About 20 percent of China's 302 gold medals since 1984 have come in diving, according to NBC.

The United States won 44 silver medals and 42 bronze, compared to 27 and 24, respectively, for China.

For Japan, 20 of its 45 medals were gold, while Australia recorded 18 gold among its 53 medals.

France won 16 gold medals with the host nation earning 64 total medals -- one less than Great Britain.

Also finishing in double digits in the gold-medal count were the Brits with 14, followed by South Korea (13), Italy and Germany (12) and New Zealand (10).

France, buoyed by the home-country crowd, earned its most medals in more than a century.

The Americans will be looking for the same advantage in 2028, when the world convenes in Los Angeles for the Summer Olympics.

In all, 84 nations won at least one gold, silver or bronze medal in the Paris Games.

--Field Level Media