At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, spectators at home will be curious as to which nation will have the distinction of winning the most medals, as the greatest athletes in the world battle for both personal success and pride in their country.
By Wednesday, the United States, Japan, China, and the host nation, France, held the top spots in the medal standings.
With her gold medal from the women’s gymnastics team and her goal of adding another on Thursday, Simone Biles became the most decorated gymnast in Olympic history.
| Paris 2024 Olympic Medal Leaders | ||||
| Countries | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| United States | 6 | 13 | 12 | 31 |
| France | 8 | 10 | 8 | 26 |
| China | 11 | 7 | 3 | 21 |
In addition, the women’s rugby sevens team created history on Tuesday when they defeated Australia to win the bronze medal, their first-ever medal. This is the first medal for American rugby since the men’s team won gold in the 1924 Summer Olympics, held in Paris as well.
A small additional benefit for both nations comes from the large number of athletes who represent them.
With 594 athletes, the United States has the largest delegation. France comes in close behind with 571.
By the end of Wednesday, China had taken the lead with nine gold medals, but not overall. Japan and France were level for second place with eight medals apiece.
As of Tuesday’s conclusion of the day, eight different sports have produced medals for French Olympians, demonstrating their versatility in a number of disciplines. In the meantime, the United States got off to a fast start in the water, winning 11 of its first medals in swimming disciplines.
Most likely, the United States hopes to replicate its dominant performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where it took home 113 gold. China has won 89 medals, which is far more than any other nation.
Russia, which has dominated previous games as well, is not permitted to participate this year. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee imposed penalties that included a ban on both Russia and Belarus.
Countries’ competitors are limited to competing as “Individual Neutral Athletes,” and their medals will not be tallied for their respective countries. A person cannot compete if they have actively supported Russia or Belarus in the war.