USA tops China, wins most Olympics gold medals [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• USA and China engaged in their most narrowed battle for the gold medals in the Tokyo Olympics.
• The Americans gained three gold medals on the last day of the competition.
• Team USA bagged a total of 113 medals while China had 88 medals.

In the tight race for the most gold medals in the Tokyo Olympics, USA led past China with 39-38, bagging the most medals of 113 ━ 39 gold, 41 silver and 33 bronze medals. 

During the last day of the world competition on Sunday, the day started with China leading with 38 gold medals and the US with 36. 

Team USA was able to clinch gold medals in both women’s volleyball and basketball sports. The tie breaker was earned by cyclist Jennifer Valente after winning the women’s omnium in track cycling.

While the female basketball team won their seventh straight Olympic title with 90-75 victory over the host Japan, the volleyball team bagged its first-ever gold by beating the powerhouse Brazil in three straight sets.

Meanwhile, China ━ which has been working to champion the Olympics since it went back to the competition in 1984 ━ only got a silver in women’s middleweight boxing and finished fourth in the rhythmic gymnastics group all-around final.

In a bid to build the country as a sports powerhouse, Beijing had formally developed a “gold medal strategy.” The country relied on full-time sports schools, where various sports coaches have traveled across the country to scout potential world-class talents.

Chinese officials also strategically targeted sports that were not much funded in Western countries, specifically those sports for women, and those unpopular sports with varying weight divisions or categories.

The first and the last time that China ranked first in the most gold medal count was in the Beijing 2008 Olympics. 

In the London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics, though, the nation had relatively lower medals following issues about its sports system. The Chinese government was faced with public disputes on its sports investment since only a few children reached up to the elite level and even when they do, there are concerns over what would be their livelihood careers after retirement.

Chinese authorities, still, continued pushing the crusade for Olympic gold as they urged their people to participate in mass sports and overall physical fitness. And it paid off in the Tokyo Olympics, as most of the gold medals earned actually came from women’s sports or mixed team events.

Earning the second highest number in the Tokyo Olympics, China delivered a total of 88 medals, consisting of 38 gold, 32 silver and 18 bronze.

Source: The New York Times