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US Tops Medal Count At Beijing Games

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The Associated Press

Published: August 24, 2008

BEIJING - What fencer Mariel Zagunis started, Dwyane Wade and the "Redeem Team" finished.

In between, Michael Phelps and the rest of the U.S. delegation put on one heck of an Olympics — perhaps their best ever.

By reclaiming gold in men's basketball, pulling off an emotional victory in men's volleyball and claiming silver in team handball, the United States wrapped up the Beijing Olympics on Sunday with 110 medals — its most in a non-boycotted Olympics since the 1904 St. Louis Games, which hardly count because of how little the rest of the world was represented.

Sure, there were some high-profile flubs at the track.

And the 36 gold medals was the same Americans won four years ago in Athens; it also was well below the 51 golds won by China.

But those are small details to the U.S. Olympic Committee.

"We could not be more proud of our athletes for everything they accomplished here in Beijing, both on and off the field of play," USOC chairman Peter Ueberroth said. "Our first priority going into these games was to compete clean, and we are extremely proud that our athletes are sharing our commitment to this principle. They represented our country with pride and honor, and with one of the best U.S. Olympic performances in history."

USOC chief executive Jim Scherr added that the team "inspired millions of young people to pursue their dreams." That's hard to quantify, but there's little doubt Americans were watching.

According to Nielsen Media Research, the first 15 days of NBC's broadcasts reached 208.7 million viewers, putting it on the verge of passing the viewership of the 1996 Atlanta Games as the most-viewed event in U.S. television history.

Starting with those '96 games, the U.S. has been atop the medals table at four straight Olympics. The USOC noted the accomplishment, considering more than 40 world records and 120 Olympics records were set — and, no, Phelps and Usain Bolt didn't set all of them, it just seemed like it.

The only downer: Although competition has ended, there are still other "games" being played that could affect the medal totals.

The high-profile one is the age controversy in women's gymnastics, with several of China's athletes thought to be too young. The latest news is China's deputy sports minister attributed the confusion surrounding one of its gold medalist gymnasts to a paperwork mistake during a team transfer. The girl, He Kexin, was listed as being 13 in a Nov. 3, 2007 report by China's official news agency. Gymnasts had to turn 16 in 2008 to have been eligible for these Olympics.

"I can right here accurately say that the ages of the members of our gymnastics delegation entirely conform to the requirements for participation in the Beijing Olympic Games," Cui Dalin said at a news conference Sunday.

If accusations are verified, China could lose two gold and two bronzes. Americans would have two silvers upgraded to gold.

At another news conference Sunday, officials from Netherland Antilles said they are protesting a ruling that stripped one of their sprinters of a silver medal in the 200-meter dash. If the Court of Arbitration for Sport rules in their favor, the U.S. would lose a medal. A ruling is expected by Sept. 30.

"This process doesn't bother me," said sprinter Churandy Martina, who was chosen to carry his nation's flag in the closing ceremony. "If I got it, I got it. But it's supposed to be fair play. ... They're supposed to go by the rules."

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