By Paris, France – A’ja Wilson led the U.S. women’s basketball team to a historic victory, scoring 21 points as the Americans edged out France 67-66 to win their eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal at the Paris Games on Sunday.
Throughout an incredible streak of 61 straight wins, no team had managed to come as close as France did in this nail-biting finale.
Only two of those victories had been by single digits, and this narrow win against France underscored the fierce competition.
This eighth straight gold breaks a tie with the U.S. men’s program, which won seven consecutive golds from 1936 to 1968.
The women’s triumph came just 24 hours after the U.S. men’s team also beat France in their title game, marking the first time in Olympic history that both U.S. basketball teams faced the same opponent in the gold medal games.
Unlike the men’s game, which had a more comfortable margin, this final came down to the wire. France had one last shot, a three-pointer just before the buzzer, which fell short and sealed the victory for the U.S.
With 3.9 seconds left on the clock, the Americans led 67-64 after Kahleah Copper sank two crucial free throws.
France’s Marine Johannes rushed the ball up the court and passed to Gabby Williams, who launched a shot from just inside the three-point line.
The ball banked in, but it was over the outstretched arms of Breanna Stewart, making the score 67-66 as the final buzzer sounded.
Initially, there was confusion as officials reviewed the play, leading to brief celebrations by both teams.
The officials eventually confirmed it was a two-point shot, not the three-pointer France had hoped for, securing the gold for the U.S. team.
Williams, who finished the game with 19 points, had earlier hit a three-pointer just seconds before Copper’s free throws, putting France within striking distance.
However, it wasn’t enough to overcome the U.S. women’s determination to maintain their Olympic dominance.
