While Team USA is far ahead in the total medal rankings with 123 in Paris, it’s trailing China in the gold medal race by one coming into Sunday. China started Sunday with 39 gold medals to USA’s 38.
On the total medal standings, it’s not close. Team USA’s 123 gold, silver and bronze medals far exceeds China’s 90, the next closest nation.
China competes for gold medals on Sunday in women’s weightlifting in the 81kg weight class, potentially women’s omnium in track cycling and women’s pentathlon.
Chinese weightlifter Li Wenwen is favored to win in the 81kg weight class competition and is expected to add to China’s gold medal total there.
The USA, meanwhile, is likely to win at least one more gold medal in women’s basketball. Team USA has not lost in the Olympics in women’s basketball since 1992 and has demolished the rest of the tournament so far.
The US volleyball team is also looking to repeat its gold medal victory from Tokyo against Italy. The Italians have already guaranteed themselves their first ever medal in the sport and are hoping to make it gold.
In 2021, Team USA took the overall gold medal race by one, with 39 to China’s 38. It will take a strong day from American athletes to repeat the feat on Sunday.
However, Team USA as a whole has already easily surpassed those previous Summer Games’ total medal haul. The Americans won 113 medals in Tokyo.
