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The United States surpassed 3,000 medals won in Olympic competitions on Tuesday.
The all-time medal count for Team USA is compiled between the Summer and Winter Olympics. No other country has won more than 1,500 combined medals, according to ESPN.
The U.S. went into Tuesday’s schedule of events three medals away from 3,000. Here is how the Americans reached and surpassed the milestone number.
The U.S. women’s gymnastics squad winning gold in team competition put the country’s total count at 2,998.
A medal was virtually assured, with the U.S. women medaling in every Summer Games since 1988. But winning gold after a disappointing finish for silver at the Tokyo Olympics was a standout moment for the team with each athlete competing at their best.
WOW. SIMONE BILES JUST DID THAT. #ParisOlympics NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/l4pLcI1QGg
NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 30, 2024
Up next for the U.S. gymnasts are the individual events, with Simone Biles and Suni Lee pursuing medals in the individual all-around competition.
Perhaps the most unexpected medal win for the U.S. took place just before the women’s gymnastics team won gold. The women’s rugby sevens team earned its first-ever Olympic medal with an upset over Australia that earned a bronze.
THE TRUCK STICK THAT MADE HISTORY. USA women’s rugby sevens win their first-ever Olympic medal in a STUNNING FINISH.@USARugby | #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/AdJW6inqI9
NBC Sports (@NBCSports) July 30, 2024
An opportunity for gold or silver which would have been a surprise was lost when USA fell to New Zealand earlier in the day. But Alex Sedrick assured the U.S. would get a place on the medal stand by powering through for the match-winning score.
The women’s swimming team hit the 3,000 mark for the United States in the 100-meter backstroke final, with Regan Smith touching the wall for silver and Berkoff getting bronze. Per the USOC, Berkoff had the distinction of winning the 3,000th medal by Team USA in Olympic competition.
WHAT A RACE.Regan Smith and Katharine Berkoff secure silver and bronze in the 100m backstroke! #ParisOlympics | NBC & Peacock pic.twitter.com/e7QZVk86TZ
NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 30, 2024
Australia’s Kaylee McKeown won gold with an Olympic record time of 57.33, her second consecutive gold medal after winning at the Tokyo Games. Smith set the event’s World record (57.13) at the U.S. swimming trials in June, but couldn’t overtake McKeown in Paris. Berkoff finished at 57.98 to place third.
Smith and Berkoff medaling also achieved a notable mark for USA swimming. They won the 599th and 600th Olympic swimming medals in the team’s history. No other country has won close to that many medals in swimming, with USA’s count more than twice Australia’s total.