In a thrilling showdown in Paris, A’ja Wilson and Team USA faced their toughest challenge in 32 years, as they battled against France for Olympic gold. The American women, led by Wilson’s 21 points, managed to secure a hard-fought 67-66 victory after surviving a last-second shot by Gabby Williams that threatened to derail their historic winning streak.
The U.S. team had been on an impressive run of 61 consecutive wins, with no team coming close to challenging their dominance. However, France proved to be a formidable opponent, pushing the Americans to the limit in a nail-biting final minute.
“It’s amazing. It truly is a dynasty that we have built here at USAB has been incredible,” Wilson said after the game. “And I am so proud of the resilience that my team showed. We could have fumbled it many times, but we pulled through. To say I am a two-time gold medalist, I am so blessed.”
With this victory, Team USA secured their eighth straight Olympic gold medal, surpassing the men’s team’s record of seven consecutive golds from 1936-1968. The women’s triumph came on the heels of the U.S. men’s team also defeating France in the men’s gold medal game, marking the first time in Olympic history that both finals featured the same two teams.
The tense final moments of the game saw the Americans clinging to a three-point lead, only for Williams to bank in a shot just inside the 3-point line, bringing the French within one point. After a brief delay to confirm the shot was a two-pointer, the Americans erupted in celebration, while the French players were left stunned by the narrow defeat.
“Gabby hit some great shots down the end, tough shots,” Wilson remarked. “We understood what we had in our locker room and leaning on each other and talking to one another and believing that we believed in each other and that’s the greatest thing about it.”
Despite not starting any of the knockout phase games, Wilson played a crucial role in securing the gold for Team USA, showcasing her resilience and determination on the court.
The bronze medal game earlier in the day saw Australia edge out Belgium 85-81 in a closely contested match, rounding out an exciting day of Olympic basketball action in Paris.
