The United States pipped China for top spot in the battle of medals at the Paris Olympic on Sunday.
In a thrilling finale that capped 17 days of spellbinding action, the United States women's basketball team squeezed past France 67-66 to clinch the last gold of the Games.
The streak continues for USA Women's Basketball Team 🇺🇸🏀 :
— Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) August 11, 2024
2024 -🥇
2020 -🥇
2016 -🥇
2012 -🥇
2008 -🥇
2004 -🥇
2000 -🥇
1996 -🥇#Paris2024
📸Getty Images/Sarah Stier pic.twitter.com/ehKS3Cj64Z
The win – the eighth consecutive Olympic women's basketball won by the USA – ensured the Americans finished level with China on 40 golds each as the games drew to a close.
The USA however finished on top of the overall medal table with a total of 126 medals, with China in second place on 91.
Team USA and Team China end #Paris2024 with 40 gold medals each 🤯
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 11, 2024
The Americans top the table due to more silver medals 🥈👇#CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/QzwWGMmuJd
MARATHON MAGIC
Sunday's final day began with a gripping women's marathon victory by the Netherlands' long-distance running star Sifan Hassan.
Hassan had taken on what many considered to be a crazy gamble in Paris, competing in the 5 000m, the 10 000m and the marathon – the last two events just two days apart.
But in a jaw-dropping sprint finish, Hassan overhauled Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa to take gold by three seconds in an Olympic record of 2hr 22min 55sec.
Sifan Hassan does the impossible 😲
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 11, 2024
Two bronze medals on the track and now gold and an Olympic Record in the Women's Marathon 🔥🔥
🇿🇦 South Africa's results - Cian Oldknow (32), Irvette van Zyl (37) and Gerda Steyn (45) 💪#Paris2024 | #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/Q5c645TQrQ
On Friday she had taken bronze in the 10 000m after coming away with a bronze in the 5 000m.
She fell to the ground on the blue carpet in front of the golden dome of the Invalides memorial complex in the heart of Paris before grabbing a Dutch flag to celebrate an extraordinary achievement.
"It was not easy," said Hassan, 31. "It was so hot, but I was feeling OK. I've never pushed myself through to the finish line as I did today.
"Every moment in the race I was regretting that I ran the 5 000m and 10 000m. I was telling myself if I hadn't done that, I would feel great today.
"From the beginning to the end, it was so hard. Every step of the way. I was thinking, 'Why did I do that? What is wrong with me?'
Sifan Hassan really said #Paris2024 will be hers 🏆
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 11, 2024
🇪🇹 Tigst Assefa came in second and 🇰🇪 Hellen Obiri came in third palce.#CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/GjeQRVpOn0
Wrestling, weightlifting, water polo, volleyball, modern pentathlon, handball, and track cycling were the other sports to crown Olympic champions on the last day.
Hungary's Michelle Gulyas ran and shot to Olympic gold in the modern pentathlon, with home favourite Elodie Clouvel roared on to clinch silver.
1461 points 🤩
— Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) August 11, 2024
Modern pentathlon world record and gold medal for Michelle Gulyas 🥇
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1461 points 🤩
Record du monde du pentathlon moderne et médaille d'or pour Michelle Gulyas ! 🥇#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/4lUqKRCjcX
In weightlifting, China's jubilant Li Wenwen lifted her coach into the air instead of the bar, having already secured gold.
Nothing stands in the way of Li Wenwen, who won the women's 81kg+ final in weightlifting 🏋️♀️
— Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) August 11, 2024
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Rien ne résiste à Li Wenwen qui remporte la finale des + de 81kg chez les femmes en haltérophilie 🏋️♀️#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/uVs6opHCLU
At the velodrome, Dutch star Harrie Lavreysen surged to the men's keirin for his third gold of the Games, ending British dominance of the event they had won at every Olympics since 2008.
🥇🇳🇱 Harrie Lavreysen 🇳🇱🥇
— UCI Track Cycling (@UCI_Track) August 11, 2024
Your Men's Keirin Olympic Champion 🤩#Cycling #CyclingTrack #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/CP08fwO8IZ
New Zealand's Ellesse Andrews blasted to the women's sprint title to add to her keirin gold, while American cyclist Jennifer Valente won the women's omnium.
🥇🇳🇿 Ellesse Andrews 🇳🇿🥇
— UCI Track Cycling (@UCI_Track) August 11, 2024
Your new Women's Sprint Olympic Champion 🤩#Cycling #CyclingTrack #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/O7uAFCaD3w
In men's water polo, Serbia won their third straight Olympic gold with a 13-11 victory over Croatia at La Defense Arena and pulled their coach into the pool in the celebrations.
A golden moment for Serbia! 🥇
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 11, 2024
An outstanding performance in the men's water polo final sees them take home their third consecutive gold medal! 🇷🇸@OKSrbije | @WorldAquatics | #Waterpolo | #Paris2024 | #Samsung | #TogetherforTomorrow pic.twitter.com/RRd188aTMj