PARIS 2024 Olympics ended on a spectacular note last night with a star-studded closing ceremony that incorporated music, arts and culture as the United States of America edged China to top spot in the overall medal table.
USA topped the medal table with 40 gold medals after the final of the last event of the Games was decided yesterday.
But the Americans finished above China only by virtue of winning more silver medals than the Asian giants, scooping 44 while their foes had 27.
China were the last team apart from the US to top the standings when they did it on home soil at the 2008 Beijing Games.
The US women’s basketball team helped to seal their country’s dominance by edging hosts France to win the final gold medal of the Games last night.
The Americans also won the most total medals with 126 to China’s 91, after winning 42 bronze medals as against China’s 24.
Japan were third with 20 gold, 12 silver and 13 bronze for a total of 45, while Australia were in fourth place with 18 gold, 19 silver and 16 bronze for a total of 53.
Hosts France finished in fifth place with 16 gold, 26 silver, and 22 bronze, totalling 64.
With Nigeria recording no single medal, only 12 African teams made it to the medal table.
Kenya ended on top of the African pile with four gold, two silver and five bronze for a total of 11 to finish in 17th place.
Other African countries which made the medals table include Algeria who were placed joint 39th with two gold and one bronze for a total of three.
The others are South Africa in joint 44th with a total six medals (one gold, three silver, two bronze), and Ethiopia in 47th with a total of four (one gold, three silver).
Egypt and Tunisia were joint 52nd with a total of three medals each, comprising one gold, one silver and one bronze medal.
Botswana and Uganda were also in joint 55th with two medals each, made up of one gold and one silver medal.
Morocco placed 60th with one gold and one bronze for a total of two, while Côte d’Ivoire were in 84th place alongside Cape Verde and Zambia with one bronze each.
Over 9,000 athletes danced and sang the night away during the three-hour closing ceremony, which was billed as a celebration of humanity and the unifying power of sport.
There were performances from superstar music acts like rappers Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre, who got the show underway, as well as Billie Ellish and Red Hot Chilli Peppers, while action star Tom Cruise performed a stunning stunt as the flag was handed over to the next host city Los Angeles, the American city of stars.
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