Paris 2024: U.S. surpasses 100 medals again

Since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the United States has dominated the biggest international sporting event, edition after edition. Since then, seven Olympics have been held and, in all seven, it was the country that most often climbed the podium. With Paris 2024, that makes eight.

In the French capital, the U.S. delegation has not only been crowned once again; it has also surpassed the hundred medals mark. It has now surpassed this number six times in a row, since Athens hosted the 2004 Olympics (101).

Far from the 245 medals won in St. Louis in 1904

The Stars and Stripes have managed to return home with more than 100 medals on 12 occasions since the modern era of the Olympic Games began in 1896, including Paris 2024: St. Louis 1904, Los Angeles 1932, Mexico 1968, Los Angeles 1974, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio de Janeiro 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.

It was St. Louis 1904 - the first time it hosted the Olympic Games - that was the edition in which the United States achieved its highest number of distinctions: 245, distributed in 79 golds, 84 silvers and 82 bronzes. 120 years later, it still has not been surpassed. Twelve countries participated, of which representatives from ten of them managed to stand on the podium on occasion.

The closest it came was in Los Angeles 1984, when it won 174 medals: 83 gold (record), 61 silver and 30 bronze. That team was made up of American sports legends such as Carl Lewis and Michael Jordan.

The first time the Olympics were contested in Los Angeles (1932), the Americans won 103 medals (41 gold, 32 silver and 30 bronze). Then came Mexico 1968 (107), Barcelona 1992 (108), Atlanta 1996(101), Athens 2004 (101), Beijing 2008 (112), London 2012 (104), Rio de Janeiro 2016 (121) and Tokyo 2020 (113).

On the other side of the scale, it was in Athens 1896 when the team returned with fewer medals in its locker (20). There were also fewer events practiced and fewer athletes attended.

Athletics and swimming, the basis for success

There are competitions in the Olympic Games in which the U.S. team is unable to reach the podium. But there are others in which, edition after edition, medals are guaranteed. This is the case of athletics and swimming.

Athletes like Noah Lyles, Quincy Hall, Sha'Carri Richardson, Gabrielle Thomas and Jasmine Moore have shone at Paris 2024. For example, Lyles took gold in the men's 100m and bronze in the men's 200m, while Hall topped the podium in the men's 400m.

Richardson recorded the second fastest time in the women's 100-meter final. Thomas won gold in the women's 200 meters and Moore returned with bronze in the long jump and triple jump.

From the asphalt to the pool. Despite having to compete against other countries that, traditionally, always stand out in swimming, the United States has once again demonstrated that it is a discipline that adds many medals to its locker.

The gold medals won by Katie Ledecky in the women's 800-meter freestyle and the women's 1,500-meter freestyle have made her the most decorated swimmer in history. Other swimmers such as Caeleb Dressel and Kate Douglass have also played a leading role in Paris 2024.

Apart from these two disciplines, special mention must be made of gymnastics, after Simone Biles added three golds and a silver to the U.S. medal tally.