The United States women’s basketball team secured their eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal on Sunday, narrowly defeating host nation France 67-66 in a nail-biting finale at the Paris Games. This hard-fought victory also propelled Team USA to the top of the overall medal standings, tying them with China for the most gold medals and cementing their place as the nation with the highest total medal count.
The path to victory was anything but smooth for the Americans, who faced a determined and spirited French squad backed by an electrifying home crowd. Plagued by turnovers and struggling with their shooting accuracy, Team USA managed to hit only 2 of 12 attempts from beyond the arc and posted a 79.4% free-throw success rate compared to France’s flawless 100%. The U.S. team found themselves trailing by 10 points early in the third quarter, but their depth of experience proved crucial in the closing moments of the game, allowing them to claw back and clinch a win that was decided in the final seconds of the entire Olympic event.
“I’m incredibly proud of the resilience my team demonstrated,” said A’ja Wilson, reflecting on the challenging match.
Despite the 10-point deficit in the third quarter, the U.S. team rallied to regain control. However, the French squad didn’t back down, elevating their performance and turning the fourth quarter into an unforgettable, instant classic that will be remembered as one of the most thrilling moments of the Games.
