For the third straight summer Olympics, Team USA won both the gold and overall medal counts. A quick look at the numbers and it’s clear: women athletes got Team USA to the top.
The United States’ 39 gold medals bested China’s 38. Overall, Team USA won 113 total medals compared to 88, again by China. In 2008, when Beijing, China hosted the games, the United States were bested on the Summer podium. Since then, the United States handily won the gold and overall counts, winning by eight in 2012 and 19 in 2016. In 2021, it took two late victories to get the United States back on top.
Early Sunday morning, or late Saturday depending on your U.S. time zone, the United States were down by one gold medal, 37 to China’s 38. Who better to come in and save the day than the United States Women’s Basketball Team.
Basketball
Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner led Team USA to a 90-75 victory against first-time medalist in the sport Japan. Griner’s 30 points, five rebounds, and three blocks couldn’t be stopped by a Japan squad that couldn’t match her physicality or height. Add WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson’s 19 points and Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart’s 14-point, 14-rebound double-double and it was game over. Legends of the game Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi celebrated their fifth basketball gold medal and the 38th for the USA in Tokyo.
Volleyball
The United States still needed one more; a team that never won an Olympic gold stepped up to the plate, or more appropriately the net. Team USA Women’s Volleyball took on a familiar foe in their 2008 and 2012 Olympic final opponent Brazil. It was a battle between the world’s number one and two ranked volleyball teams. In straight sets, Team USA reached their golden goal.
Finishing Strong
Overall, USA women won the last five gold medals, for Team USA. Water Polo, golf, and cycling omnium all pushed the U.S. into top position. So, getting past an athletic and political rival is great, but how did women athletes stack up overall in Tokyo?
Of the 39 gold medals, 23 went to women or women’s teams. Their 58% of the gold is made more impressive considering only 53% (329 of 614 athletes) of Team USA aren’t men.
Here are some of the big stories from those 23 gold medals:
Key Gold Moments
- Katie Ledecky led US women with two golds, in the women’s 800 & 1500 freestyle events
- Tamyra Mensah-Stock is the first black U.S. woman, and second U.S. woman, to win the gold medal in women’s freestyle wrestling
- Sunisa Lee won the gymnastics all-around gold, after Simone Biles left the tournament to address mental health concerns
- Allyson Felix became the most decorated U.S. track & field athlete
- Sydney McLaughlin won gold and broke a world record in the 400 meter hurdles
- Team USA won the inaugural 3×3 basketball tournament
- Nelly Korda won the first gold in individual stroke play golf since 1900
- Water Polo won their third straight gold medal
- Team USA basketball won a record-setting seventh straight gold
The Olympics draw in even some of the most skeptical sports fans in cheering on their country. When you cheer on Team USA for winning gold, make sure the women are put at the top of the conversation.
Follow Beyond Women’s Sports for more in the world of women’s sports. You can also follow Thomas Costello on Twitter @1ThomasCostello.
Photo credits: Sunisa Lee: Photo by Alexander Safonov/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images, Tamyra Mensah-Stock: Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images, Dawn Staley and A'ja Wilson: Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images, Volleyball: YURI CORTEZ/AFP via Getty Images
