The U.S. women’s basketball team clinched its eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal by narrowly defeating France 67-66 on Sunday. A’Ja Wilson led the squad with 21 points in a match that marked a historic achievement, making the U.S. the first basketball team to achieve such a feat at the Olympics. With this victory, the U.S. has extended its winning streak to 61 games at the Summer Games, dating back to 1992.
Although the game was not characterized by flawless basketball, it was enough to secure the win. The U.S. faced stiff competition from a determined French team and a supportive home crowd at Bercy Arena. A thrilling moment occurred when Gabby Williams of France hit a buzzer-beater that initially seemed to give France the win, but it was ruled a two-pointer rather than a three, resulting in a narrow U.S. victory.
Breanna Stewart acknowledged the challenging nature of the game, stating, “It was a little bit ugly. But no matter what whether it’s good, ugly, whatever we just want to come out on top, and we did that, and we go home with this gold.”
The first half was tumultuous for the U.S., as they struggled to find their offensive rhythm against a physical French defense. France momentarily led 25-23 before halftime, but the U.S. managed to tie the game just before the break, concluding the half at 25-25.
The second half proved challenging for the U.S., who did not score until over three minutes had passed in the third quarter and at one point trailed by ten points. Coach Cheryl Reeve noted, “We had a hard time getting to our identity of being able to play and transition and score.”
Jackie Young, who had been instrumental in previous games, fouled out in the fourth quarter, but Kelsey Plum stepped up with crucial three-pointers and free throws to help the U.S. regain control.
This was France’s first appearance in the Olympic gold medal basketball game since 2012, where they fell to the U.S. by 36 points. With this loss, France earned the silver medal, while Australia secured bronze by defeating Belgium in the third-place match.
Brittney Griner, playing internationally for the first time since her release from a Russian detention center, expressed her emotions during the medal ceremony. “I was on the podium, flag was going up, as soon as the anthem started tears started coming down my face,” Griner shared. She highlighted the significance of this gold medal, stating it would hold a special place alongside her previous two.
In a notable weekend for U.S. basketball, the men’s team also secured gold, defeating France 98-87 the day before, bringing home their fifth consecutive Olympic title.