Olympics: US topples China to finish overall winner, Kenya finishes as best African country

The USA clinched victory at the XXXIII Olympic Games in Paris on Sunday, narrowly topping the 2024 Olympics medal table. They secured 40 gold medals, edging out China by winning more silver medals—44 compared to China’s 27. Both nations had 40 golds, but China fell short with only 27 silvers.

The last time a team other than the US topped the standings was in 2008, when China led on home soil in Beijing.

The US women’s basketball team’s victory over hosts France to win the final gold medal of the Games helped secure the Americans’ dominance. Overall, the USA won the most medals, with 126 total (40 gold, 44 silver, and 42 bronze), compared to China’s 91 (40 gold, 27 silver, and 24 bronze).

Japan ranked third with 20 gold, 12 silver, and 13 bronze medals, totaling 45. Australia came in fourth with 18 gold, 19 silver, and 16 bronze, totaling 53. Hosts France were fifth with 16 gold, 26 silver, and 22 bronze medals, totaling 64.

Only 12 African countries made it to the medal table. Kenya led the African nations, finishing 17th overall with four gold, two silver, and five bronze medals, totaling 11. Other African countries included Algeria, joint 39th with two gold and one bronze; South Africa, joint 44th with one gold, three silver, and two bronze; and Ethiopia, 47th with one gold and three silver medals.

Egypt and Tunisia were joint 52nd, each with one gold, one silver, and one bronze. Botswana and Uganda were joint 55th, each with one gold and one silver. Morocco placed 60th with one gold and one bronze. Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde, and Zambia each secured one bronze, placing them jointly in 84th.

Nigeria did not make the medal table in the 2024 Olympics, which saw participation from 205 countries.

The next edition of the Olympics is scheduled for 2028 in Los Angeles, USA.