2024 Summer Olympics - Day 10 - Source: Getty — A close up of Simone Biles' gold medal following the women's floor exercise final at the 2024 Paris Olympics - Getty Images

USA vs China final medal tally at Paris Olympics 2024: Who won the most medals?

Modified Aug 11, 2024 15:30 GMT

Like most editions of the Summer Games, the 2024 Paris Olympics has seen the United States and China go head-to-head at the top of the medal table. Besides sporting rivalry, the two countries are almost always locked in geopolitical tension, which only adds another layer to the competition.

Most of the world, including Paris 2024’s official count, bases its final table on the number of gold medals won. At the 2020 Tokyo Games, China was within a single victory of tying the USA for the most gold medals.

This year, both countries finished with 40 gold medals each. In terms of total medals won the US is well ahead of other nations with 125 medals — 40 gold, 44 silver, and 42 bronze. China, on the other hand, has won a total of 91 medals — 40 gold, 27 silver, and 24 bronze.

As expected, the US has done well in athletics and swimming while Chinese athletes have been on point in diving, table tennis, weightlifting, shooting, and badminton.

Diving traditionally has become China's stronghold. This year they won every category in the event — both in the men's and women's sections. In fact, around a fifth of their 302 golds since 1984 have come in diving.

The US has finished above China in the medal tally in the last three editions. The last time the Asian nation finished on top, it hosted the Games in Beijing, where China clinched a whopping 51 golds to USA’s 36.

China dents US' medal tally at Paris Olympics 2024 by doing well in swimming and some newer sports

Zheng Qinwen became the first Asian tennis player to win women’s singles gold - Getty Images

While swimming continues to be the US' strong suit, China has made a breakthrough at the Paris Olympics. In the 4x100-meter medley, China became the first nation in Olympic history to beat the US to the gold medal.

In the same waters, China’s winning artistic swimming team clinched gold with a performance that vowed the judges and fans, and left all competitors, including the Americans, unable to catch them. In tennis, Qinwen Zheng became the first Asian tennis player to win women’s singles gold.

Among the newer Olympic sports, Deng Yawen, in her Olympic debut, won the gold medal in the women’s BMX freestyle.