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'Madness': Olympics medal tally decided in 'chaotic' final gold rush

Riley Morgan
·Sports Reporter
·4-min read
USA's Kelsey Robinson and Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (pictured left) celebrate women's volleyball team gold and (pictured right) China's Qian Li on the podium with gold medal winner Lauren Price
USA overtook China in the Olympics medal tally after the women's volleyball team won gold (pictured left) and China's Qian Li (pictured right) picked up a silver medal. (Getty Images)

The USA have pipped China in the gold medal tally at the Olympics after winning three events in the final hours of the Tokyo Games.

On Wednesday, China was sitting on 32 gold, ahead of the USA's 25 gold.

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The USA were still trailing China on the final day with three medal opportunities.

On the final frantic day to the games, the USA won the women's basketball against Japan.

Not long after, Cyclist Jennifer Valente won gold in the women's omnium in the velodrome.

And to cap off a fantastic day for Team USA, the women's indoor volleyball team won their first ever gold.

This took the USA to 39 gold.

However, in a dramatic finish, China's Li Qian had a chance to level the gold tally in the women's middleweight boxing.

But British boxer Lauren Price had other plans and won the gold medal match to deny China.

USA finished wth 39 gold, 40 silver and 33 bronze (112 overall), ahead of China's 38 gold, 31 silver and 18 bronze (87 overall).

Fans were thrilled to see the 'chaotic' Games come down to the wire for the overall medal tally.

Price's gold medal in the boxing equalled Team Great Britain's London 2012 medal haul and their second most successful after Rio 2016.

Australia's record Olympic Games

Meanwhile, Australia's Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman hailed his team's record-equalling performance at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday, wiping tears from his eyes as he spoke of its impact on people back home in Covid-19 lockdown.

The Australian team had won 17 gold medals heading into the final day of action in Tokyo, matching their previous best haul from the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Chesterman said the unique circumstances of the first Olympics held during a global pandemic would make their achievements even more memorable.

"I believe Australia will remember this team for decades to come," he told a news conference.

"They've made a real connection with people back home. It's been such a tough time in so many communities and the athletes have been so conscious of that over here.

"Their performances and the way they've conducted themselves on and off the field has been superb. The Australians have taken these athletes to their hearts."

After disappointing medal hauls at London 2012 and Rio 2016, Australia kick-started their Tokyo campaign in the swimming.

Watch 'Mind Games', the new series from Yahoo Sport Australia exploring the often brutal mental toil elite athletes go through in pursuit of greatness:

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