USA tops Tokyo Games gold medal table

TOKYO – The US team, whose more than 600 athletes competed in hundreds of events in 19 swirling days here, made an exciting comeback in the closing hours of the 2020 Olympics to dominate the gold medal table for the third consecutive Summer Games.

The United States came in behind China 38-36 in that much-vaunted gold medal column on Sunday. But American women’s basketball beat Japan in its final, and American cyclist Jennifer Valente won gold in her omnium points race, to pull the American level around 1 p.m. here in Tokyo.

And then, shortly before 3 p.m. at Ariake Arena, American women’s volleyball won its very first Olympic title to definitely clinch the nation’s place atop the gold medal table.

The U.S. final total of 113 was by far the highest of any nation here. But he was pale compared to American transport five years ago – 121 in total, including 46 gold, in about 30 fewer events in Rio. The gold medal tally in particular before this weekend had been relatively disappointing and lagged behind China for much of the Games.

Of course, evaluating “Team USA” as a single entity is always a bit silly. Medals are won by athletes and their individual support systems, or in some cases by teams, and not by a country. Sports infrastructure in the United States contributes to these support systems, but there is no general trend that explains the quadrennial fluctuations in the number of medals. Success, or lack thereof, in athletics is not related to success in wrestling, archery, swimming, or really in any other sport.

The reasons, instead, were a mishmash of disappointing two-and-a-half-week results and dozens of sports. Among them:

But of course there were still American stars – many who didn’t win gold, and many who did. There were dominant teams, a few of whom had to wait until this final weekend to claim their medals. Men’s basketball and women’s water polo brought the United States closer to China on Saturday.

The story continues

Women’s basketball, Valente and women’s volleyball completed a list of more than three dozen American individuals, relays and teams leaving Tokyo in gold:

1. Chase Kalisz (men’s 400-meter individual medley)

2. William Shaner (10-meter air rifle for men)

3. Lee Kiefer (women’s foil fencing)

4. Anastasija Zolotic (57 kg female taekwondo)

5. Men’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay (swimming)

6. Amber English (female skeet shooting)

7. Vincent Hancock (men’s skeet shooting)

8. Lydia Jacoby (Women’s 100-meter breaststroke)

9. Carissa Moore (female surf)

10. Katie Ledecky (1,500 meters freestyle)

11. Women’s basketball 3 on 3

12. Bobby Finke (Men’s 800m Freestyle)

13. Caeleb Dressel (100 meters freestyle)

14. Sunisa Lee (women’s general gymnastics)

15. Caeleb Dressel (100 meter butterfly)

16. Katie Ledecky (800 meters freestyle)

17. Caeleb Dressel (50 meters freestyle)

18. Bobby Finke (1500 meters freestyle)

19. Men’s 4×100-meter medley relay (swimming)

20. Xander Sc Chaudele (wave men)

21. Jade Carey (Women’s Floor Gymnastics)

22. Valarie Allman (female record)

23. Athing Mu (800 meter women’s track)

24. Tamyra Mensah-Stock (wrestling 68 kg women)

25. Sydney McLaughlin (Women’s 400m Hurdles)

26. Nevin Harrison (women’s 200-meter sprint canoe)

27. Ryan Crouser (men’s shot put)

28. Katie Nageotte (women’s pole vault)

29. David Taylor (wrestling 85 kg men)

30. Women’s Beach Volleyball

31. Gable Steveson (wrestling 125 kg men)

32. Men’s basketball

33. Nelly Korda (women’s golf)

34. Women’s water polo

35. Women’s 4×400-meter relay (track)

36. 4×400 meter relay men (track)

37. Jessica Valente (female omnium)

38. Women’s basketball

39. Women’s volleyball

Excluding the host countries, the United States has now led the overall medal table and gold medal table at every Summer Olympics since hosting the Games in Atlanta in 1996.

Jack Baer of Yahoo Sports contributed to the research.

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