China bid to end USA’s Golden dominance

As with politics and snack foods, America likes to think it is number one when it comes to the Olympics. Host nation China, however, look all set to dispute their sovereignty by claiming the most Golds in Beijing…

The USA (Betfair odds of 3.65 to win the most Golds) have won more golds than any other nation in each of the last three summer Olympic Games.

America’s gold medal haul is on the slide. In 1996, they won forty-four gold medals but in Athens four years ago, they ended the Games with just thirty-six.

China (1.4) are getting closer. In 1996, they finished with twenty-eight fewer gold medals than the USA. In 2000, they ended nine behind the Americans and four years ago China ended the Olympics just four golds back.

But you can’t write off the Americans. China may be catching them on the gold front but in 2004, the USA won 66 silver and bronze medals combined compared to China’s 31. That means the USA are a lot closer to increasing their gold haul and have far more opportunities to do so than the hosts.

Russia (60) have been consistent performers, winning between twenty-six and thirty-two golds in the last three Olympic Games. However, no country in the last ten Olympics has topped the gold medal table with fewer than thirty-six golds.

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