Let's talk about China's whopping Olympic gold medal count
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Loading... - Chang Jiandan
- 05 Aug 2024
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As the Paris Olympics reach the halfway point, China is leading the gold medal tally with an impressive 13 first-place finishes, followed closely by France and Australia with 10 golds each. The United States, currently in fourth place, has secured 9 gold medals. However, with track and field events about to get underway, the balance is expected to shift, as American athletes have traditionally excelled in these disciplines.
China's success can be attributed to their dominance in two sports: shooting and diving. Eight of their gold medals have come from these events, with their athletes demonstrating exceptional skill and composure. At the French National Shooting Range in Châteauroux, Chinese athletes have been unbeatable, with Xie Yu winning gold in the 10-meter air pistol men's final on Sunday. "I had good control over myself today," Xie said. "I woke up calm, without any stress. I was a little bit nervous but didn’t have any fear.”
In diving, the Chinese have been equally impressive, with Lian Junjie and Yang Hao taking gold in the men's synchronized 10-meter platform final on Monday. British diver Thomas Daley, who took silver, praised the Chinese duo, saying, "They were pretty much flawless, which was amazing. Sometimes in training, we watch how they dive, and it gives us a little bit of hope. But then they turn it on."
However, China's performance in other disciplines has been less impressive. Despite being considered a rising power in international swimming, a doping scandal hit China's swim team last April, and they have only managed to secure one gold medal in the pool. In contrast, at the Tokyo Games in 2021, they won three swimming Olympic golds.
The US, meanwhile, has struggled in the pool, with several high-profile athletes failing to reach the podium or settling for silver or bronze. Katie Ledecky has been a notable exception, winning her 8th gold medal, along with a silver and a bronze. However, the US swim team has only captured four gold medals so far, compared to their usual haul of around 10.
It's worth noting that the International Olympic Committee ranks nations by gold medals first, which puts China in the lead overall. However, Team USA has traditionally ranked nations by overall medals, including gold, silver, and bronze. By this tally, the US leads with over 40 medals, followed by host country France with over 30 medals. As the Olympics enter their second half, it will be interesting to see if the US can close the gap with China and reclaim their position at the top of the medal table.
