A’ja Wilson scored 21 points and the US women’s basketball team survived the biggest challenge of its unprecedented run to eight straight Olympic gold medals with a 67-66 win over France at Paris 2024.
No team had been able to push the Americans during this impressive streak of 61 consecutive wins.
Only two of those victories had been by single digits before the game against France.
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The eight straight golds broke a tie with the American men’s program that won seven in a row from 1936-68.
The women’s victory came less than 24 hours after the US men’s team also beat France in the title game. This was the first time in Olympic history that both gold medal games featured the same two teams.
Unlike the men’s game this one came down to the final minute and one last shot by France that was just inside the three-point line.
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The Americans were up 67-64 with 3.9 seconds left after Kahleah Copper hit two free throws.
Marine Johannes brought the ball up the court to Gabby Williams who caught the ball just inside the three-point line and banked in over the outstretched arms of Breanna Srewart for the final margin.
There was a brief delay before the officials signalled that it was a two-point shot, which led to the beginning of a celebration and a lot of happy hugs for the Americans and left the French players standing in disbelief as they fell just short.
“Can you believe it? They got a two point shot off not a three-pointer,” commentator Brenton Speed said on Nine.
“Could the ending be any more dramatic?
“Immense frustration for France, they’ll have to settle for silver. But what a gold medal match we’ve seen.”
Williams, who finished with 19 points, had hit a deep three a few seconds earlier to get France within one before Copper’s free throws.
