USA leads final medal haul

[Dinesh Weerawansa - Reporting From England]

USA, after losing the top spot to hosts China at the final medals standings of the last Beijing 2008 Games, bounced back to take the lead at the conclusion of the 2012 Olympic Games in the British capital.A final gold medal in the sport they have mastered the best - basketball,enabled the USA to end up with a rich haul of 46 gold, 29 silver and 29 bronze in a total of 104 medals. Though many thought China would retain their supremacy, they finally settled for the second spot with 38 gold, 27 silver and 22 bronze medals.

Though USA won the top slot after Beijing 2008 debacle, the Americans failed to come anywhere near the 51 gold medals won by China as the hosts four years ago. USA has won only two gold medals more than their 36 golds won in Beijing.

More importantly, the Team GB made the host nation proud and enabled them bounce back with pride and dignity as one of the best sporting nations in the world. Making best use of the home advantage, Great Britain registered its best ever Olympic performance in 104 years to secure the third place with 29 gold, 17 silver and 19 bronze medals. Great Britain won ten gold medals more than what they achieved in China in 2008.

In the fourth place was Russia with 24 gold, 25 silver and 33 bronze, followed by South Korea, Germany, France, Italy, Hungary and Australia. India was the best South Asian nation at London Games, securing 55th place with two silver and four bronze medals. Of all the participating teams, 121 nations, including Sri Lanka, failed to secure a single medal.

USA signalled their regaining supremacy and taking the top slot in the final medals table of the 2012 Olympic Games by winning that elusive men's basketball title. The USA overcame some fierce resistance from Spain to land their fifth basketball gold medal in six Olympic Games since the origin of the ‘Dream Team’ era.

The Americans ran out 107-100 winners - the closest final since the Soviet Union beat the USA 51-50 40 years ago. Kevin Durant scored 30 points to lead the champions, while LeBron James had 19 and Kobe Bryant 17.

Spain, silver medallists in Beijing in another close final, started strongly as Juan Carlos Navarro, who has been suffering with a foot problem, found his form and hit a pair of three-pointers to fire them into a 12-7 lead. Bryant, playing well in spurts for the USA, had two threes of his own as they came back to lead 15-12, and his team briefly threatened to run away late in the first quarter with a three from Carmelo Anthony making it 25-16.

Durant's three from the corner made it 35-25 late in the first, but Spain sent a message with Sergio Rodriguez's pass slammed home by Rudy Fernandez.

The European champions scored the first seven points of the second quarter to slice the gap to 35-34 on Rodriguez's free throws, and Sergio Llull eventually made it 42-41 to the Spanish.

Spain suffered a huge blow when Marc Gasol, surprisingly left in the game by coach Sergio Scariolo when on three fouls, picked up his fourth to take a seat midway through the second quarter. The USA responded with six straight points to go 50-44 up on Kevin Love's throws. Deron Williams then made it 58-51 with a three-pointer.

Fernandez made it 59-58 before the break as Andre Iguodala was called for an unsportsmanlike foul. Pau Gasol scored the first 13 Spanish points of the third quarter, on a personal mission to keep his team in it, and they were still down only one, 83-82, at the start of the fourth.

Chris Paul hit a three and then drove to the hoop for an easy basket as the USA eased into a 90-84 lead. James then picked up his fourth foul with an accidental sweep of Pau Gasol, who headed to the bench as his brother returned to cut the gap to four.

Paul led the USA clear once more with five quick points, and Bryant's short jump shot made it 97-87. Navarro and Fernandez scored to briefly rally the Spanish, but when James nailed a three the USA were up 102-93. Paul's driving lay-up settled it 50 seconds from time as the gap grew to 11.

USA coach Mike Krzyzewski responded with a mass of substitutions as James and Bryant began the celebrations on the bench. Earlier in the day, Russia secured bronze with an 81-77 win over Argentina.

Meanwhile, Croatia won men's water polo gold medal the 8-6 win over Italy in the final at the Aquatic Centre last afternoon.

The Balkan outfit have been the outstanding side of the London 2012 tournament, with eight wins from eight matches, and end it as worthy champions. Their dominance in defence was too much for the Italians, who are reigning world champions. Miho Boskovic, who scored twice in the victory, said: ‘We played amazing the whole tournament. So I think we deserve 100 per cent this medal. ‘We played the best Water Polo and did an outstanding performance in the last match.’ Earlier, Serbia won bronze by coming from behind to beat rivals Montenegro 12-11.

- LONDON, Monday.