Many will write about the medal count at the 2008 Olympic Games and I won’t shy away and not write something so here’s some facts.
One of the facts that is being said by about nearly everyone is that the United States won the most medals (110), but it was the host county China that won the most Gold (51). So here’s all that will be said about that.
81 countries won at least one medal. 19 of these won just one medal and 4 of these, Bahrain, Cameroon, Panama and Tunisia, won just a single Gold medal.
Iceland won a Silver medal, their only one, losing in the final to the French.
India, the country with the 2nd largest population, China is the biggest, won just three medals. A Gold and 2 Bronze.
Georgia, who was attacked by the Russian during the opening ceremony, won 6 medals. 3 Gold and 3 Bronze.
The African country Zimbabwe won a total of four medals. All were by swimmer Kristy Coventry who won a Gold and 3 Silvers.
The United States won a single Bronze medal in Boxing, an event that they once were favorite to win Gold each Olympic year. That medal went to Men’s Heavy Weight Deontay Wilder. Two Bronze medal are given in Boxing, one to each of the Semi-final losers.
Great Britain, the host of the 2012 games in London, won a total of 47 medals, 4th most. There total included 19 Gold, also 4th, 13 Silver and 15 Bronze.
Also Published at 6ThingsToConsider.com
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Very interesting subject!
It seems that the discussion is a very hot topic at the moment.
I found this widget that displays who won the 2008 Olympics from different perspectives.
It displays medals won by total medal count and gold count.
In addition it shows medals won per million inhabitant and per million dollar GDP.
I think you might like it:-)
http://www.clearspring.com/widgets/48abc6bc903b61d0
Medal counts are mostly irrelevant. What counts is what is in the pudding.
For instance. You note that India is the 2nd largest country on the planet, population-wise, yet does poorly in the Olympics. Perhaps they send too many of their men to play girls field hockey. Just a thought.
Sudan, land of Darfur, had at least one medalist. Lopez Lomong, American by way of Darfur and opening ceremony flag-bearer, did not earn a medal. Lomong would have been a posterboy had he at least made his final.
At the start of the Olympics, Russia invaded the pro-western democracy of Georgia. The American flag-bearer at the closing ceremonies was born in Georgia. Cannot remember her name but I do not believe she medaled either.
Jamaica almost swept the 6 sprint events.
The US swept all 6 of the 400 events.