The USA women’s basketball team solidified their status as the most dominant force in Olympic history by clinching their eighth consecutive gold medal. In a thrilling final at the Bercy Arena in Paris, the Americans narrowly edged out France with a 67-66 victory, continuing their unparalleled streak of 61 consecutive Olympic wins dating back to 1992.
This achievement surpasses the previous record held by the USA men’s basketball team, who won seven consecutive golds from 1936 to 1968.
The final against France was a nail-biting contest, with the USA overcoming a double-digit deficit in the third quarter to emerge victorious. A’ja Wilson led the scoring for the USA with 21 points, playing a crucial role in the comeback. The game was ultimately decided by a last-second basket from Gabby Williams of France, whose shot fell short by mere centimeters, denying the hosts an opportunity to force overtime.
The victory marked a significant milestone in Olympic history, establishing the USA women’s basketball team as the holder of the longest Olympic gold medal sequence in a traditional team sport.
“We were just resilient in what we needed to do,” Wilson said after earning her second Olympic gold. “We kept going, bucket for bucket. That’s great basketball, and that is what people want to see. Our defense kind of settled in, and we got stops and we started feeling it together.”
The gold-medal match was a rematch of the 2012 London Games final, where the USA triumphed over France by a record 36 points. This time, however, the encounter was far closer, showing the competitive spirit of both teams.
Despite the USA’s firepower, they struggled to deliver a consistent performance throughout the tournament, and this pattern continued in the final. The Americans shot only 17% from three-point range and committed 19 turnovers, with a low-scoring first half ending in a 25-25 tie.
France seized the momentum early in the second half, scoring 10 unanswered points to take a 35-25 lead, electrifying the home crowd. However, the USA responded quickly through key contributions from Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Breanna Stewart, and Sabrina Ionescu. The Americans regained the lead at 41-40 with Napheesa Collier’s lay-up following a brilliant pass from Ionescu.
With NBA legend LeBron James watching courtside, France refused to back down, reclaiming a 51-49 lead with just over five minutes remaining. The hosts had the support of a passionate crowd, but crucial mistakes in the closing minutes, including a missed three-point attempt by Williams, ultimately cost them the game.
USA center Brittney Griner, who won her third Olympic gold, reflected on the team’s journey and the challenges they faced: “Maybe they won’t say it’s just easy and we walk in and just win gold. Maybe they’ll stop saying that, because, like I said, we see everybody’s best shot. And we saw the shot that France gave us.”
This victory not only cements the USA women’s basketball team’s legacy as the most successful in Olympic history but also shows the increasing competitiveness of the international field. As the team looks forward to future competitions, they will continue to adapt and evolve to maintain their dominance on the world stage.
