The United States extended its impressive streak of gold medals in women’s basketball to eight by defeating France 67-66 in a thrilling finale on Sunday at the Bercy Arena, in the final match of the Paris 2024 Olympic competition.
France pushed the U.S. team to the limit, and the team survived to extend its impressive Olympic winning streak to 61 victories.
Their last defeat (79-73) was against the CEI, a selection of athletes from the countries that formed the USSR, 32 years ago, in Barcelona-1992.
Defensive display
The closing match of the Games pitted the biggest empire in team sports against a host spurred on by the 15,000 spectators at the Bercy Arena, who had the added incentive of putting the icing on the cake of a spectacular Olympic event.
Strained in its first attacks, but tough and united in defense, France shook off its nerves and found the basket.
Marine Fauthoux, with an incredible triple from almost midfield at the end of possession, lifted the crowd, who began to believe in the miracle.
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The players led by Jean Aime Toupane were able to contain the American offensive flow, taking a hopeful 25-25 tie at halftime.
As in the men’s final, French President Emmanuel Macron was watching the match from the stands. On the sidelines was LeBron James with his daughter and in the background Victor Wembanyama, who had been the protagonist just 15 hours earlier on the same court, in the victory of the United States over France in the men’s category.
The game was moving with very low shooting percentages, with Team USA starting the second half without having scored a three-pointer and with their great specialist Sabrina Ionescu without minutes.
France came out all guns blazing after the break, going 10-0 against a US team that was struggling to get in front of the basket, suffocated by the home team’s spider web. It took them more than three minutes to find the basket in the second half.
Williams, the last shot
Finally, Team WNBA woke up with Ionescu on the court giving clarity to the attacks.
The final quarter was an exchange of blows in which the United States kept its cool and France was unable to manage some attacks.
Their leader, French-American Gabby Williams, had 19 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals. On the last play, she shot to tie the game at the buzzer and send the game into overtime, but she stepped on the three-point line and France was left one point behind.
Local desolation and the Stars and Stripes are back on track. The empire had survived.
Thanks to that gold in women’s basketball, the United States finished the Olympic Games as the leader on the medal table, tied with China at 40 golds.
Team USA, on the other hand, has more silver medals than China (44 to 27), and more medals in total, 126 to 91. Japan finished third, with 45 medals in total (20-12-13).
The United States and China were in a fight until the very end. The 16th and final day of Paris-2024 began on Sunday with the Asian giant leading the medal table, with one more gold than the Americans (39-38).
Team USA was hoping to win two more titles on Sunday, in volleyball and women’s basketball, but Italy surprised by defeating the Tokyo 2020 volleyball champions.
China also added a final gold thanks to its weightlifter Li Wenwen and everything seemed decided in favor of the Asians, but Jennifer Valente won gold in the velodrome in the women’s omnium, so everything remained to be decided in the last final, women’s basketball.
And at the Arena Bercy, despite French resistance, the Americans won 67-66 to add an eighth consecutive gold and in the process give Team USA the victory in the medal table.
To determine the order of the medal table, the number of golds is taken into account first, and then, to break the tie, the silver and bronze medals.
