Team USA maintained its lead in the gold medal race on Day 12 of the 2024 Olympics.
After overtaking China for the most golds on Day 11, the Americans picked up three more Olympic titles at the Paris Games on Tuesday. Sprinter Quincy Hall, wrestler Sarah Hildebrandt and the women’s team pursuit cycling squad took the Americans’ gold medal total up to 27, two ahead of China.
The United States also had five other podium finishes, giving them an Olympics-high 94 medals. China sits in second nearly 30 medals behind.
From medal-winning triumphs to knockout round wins, here’s a look back at the top moments from Day 12 of the Games:
Quincy Hall rallies for gold in epic finish to 400m
Like Noah Lyles and Cole Hocker before him, Quincy Hall used an epic comeback on the track to win gold. On the final straightaway of the men’s 400m final, Hall went from fourth place to crossing the finish line first as he stormed past three runners.
Hall’s personal-best time of 43.40 seconds was just enough to beat out Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith, who finished second in 43.44. Hall recorded the fourth-fastest time in race history as he captured his first Olympic medal.
Sarah Hildebrandt captures Olympic gold for first time
Team USA picked up its second Olympic women’s wrestling title in as many days after Sarah Hildebrandt won gold in the 50kg (110 pounds) final. Hildebrandt, the reigning bronze medalist, defeated Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez 3-0 to earn her first Olympic gold.
Hildebrandt was originally slated to face India’s Vinesh Phogat in the final. But Phogat, who beat Guzman 3-0 in the semifinals, was disqualified when she weighed in 100 grams (roughly 0.22 pounds) above the weight limit.
US women capture elusive team pursuit gold
Team USA had come away with a silver or bronze medal in the women’s team pursuit each time it’s been offered at the Olympics. But on Wednesday, they finally captured gold.
The American quartet of Chloe Dygert, Kristen Faulkner, Jennifer Valente and Lily Williams combined to win the country’s first Olympic title in women’s team pursuit. Team USA posted a time of 4:04.306 to defeat New Zealand, which finished in 4:04.927.
It marked the second gold medal of these Games for Faulkner, who won the road race, and the second podium finish for the now four-time medalist in Dygert, who placed third in the individual time trial. It was the second gold and fourth medal overall for Valente, while Williams picked up the second medal of her career.
Kenneth Rooks takes silver in steeplechase stunner
Kenneth Rooks pulled off a steeplechase stunner by claiming silver in the men’s 3000m final. Rooks looked headed for gold before he was overtaken for first late by Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali, who roared to a second straight Olympic title in 8:06.05. Rooks held on for second with a time of 8:06.41, just ahead of Kenya’s Abraham Kibiwot (8:06.47).
Reigning champ Katie Moon takes silver in pole vault
Katie Moon came up just short in her bid for a second straight Olympic title in women’s pole vault. The reigning gold medalist was topped by Australia’s Nina Kennedy, who cleared 4.90 meters (roughly 16 feet) to claim the Olympic title.
Moon and Alysha Newman of Canada both cleared 4.85 meters, but the American owned the tiebreaker to take silver.
Team USA’s Katie Moon shared her excitement after winning the silver medal in women’s pole vault at the Paris Olympics.
Tom Schaar earns skateboard park silver
Tom Schaar became the third American skateboarder to medal in Paris with a second-place finish in the men’s park final. Schaar’s score of 92.92 on his second run was only beat out by Australia’s Keegan Palmer, who repeated as Olympic champion with a first-run score of 93.11.
It was the first time on the Olympic podium for the 24-year-old Schaar.
US wins first artistic swimming medal in 20 years
The U.S. made the podium in its return to Olympic artistic swimming with a silver medal finish in the team acrobatic routine. The Americans, who were competing for the first time since the 2008 Beijing Games, posted a total score of 914.3421 to earn the country’s first medal in the sport since the 2004 Athens Games and just its third overall. China ran away with gold by scoring 996.1389 points.
The U.S. team featured Anita Alvarez, Daniella Ramirez, Keana Hunter, Audrey Kwon, Jaime Czarkowski, Ruby Remati, Jacklyn Luu and Megumi Field. Alvarez was the squad’s only athlete with prior Olympic experience.
Team USA’s Ruby Remati and Daniella Ramirez shared what would they say to their younger selves after winning the silver medal at the Paris Olympics.
Hampton Morris snaps decades-long weightlifting medal drought
Hampton Morris became the first American man in 40 years to win an Olympic weightlifting medal. In his Olympic debut, the 20-year-old won bronze in the men’s 61kg (134 pounds).
Morris snatched 126kg (278 pounds) before tying an Olympic record with a clean and jerk of 172kg (379 pounds). His total score of 298kg (657 pounds) made Morris Team USA’s first male weightlifting medalist since the 1984 Los Angeles Games and the youngest since the 1956 Melbourne Games.
US men’s water polo wins in penalty shootout to advance
There was more drama in the water polo pool for Team USA on Day 12. One day after the three-time-defending champion women’s team emerged victorious in a tight quarterfinal, the men’s squad picked up a hard-earned quarterfinal win of its own.
A showdown between the U.S. and Australia was tied 7-7 at the end of regulation and went to a shootout, where the Americans used a 4-3 edge to win 11-10. Marko Vavic scored the game-winner to send the U.S. men to its first semifinal since the 2008 Beijing Games, where the Americans won silver.
In order to reach the gold medal match, the Americans will have to go through two-time-defending Olympic champion Serbia, which is coming off a 12-11 quarterfinal win over Greece. The Serbia-U.S. semifinal will take place on Friday.
US women’s basketball rolls past Nigeria and into semis
The U.S. women’s basketball team is now two wins away from a staggering eighth straight Olympic gold medal after cruising past Nigeria 88-74 in the quarterfinals. Two-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson posted game highs in points (20) and rebounds (10) with a double-double, while Jackie Young (15 points), Breanna Stewart (13) and Brittney Griner (11) also scored in double figures.
The Americans will next meet Australia, which crushed Serbia in the quarterfinals, on Friday with a spot in the gold medal game on the line.