Public Readings - Olympic Medal Count 2012 : USA's Best Weekend Chances to Gain Medal Lead. The 2012 Olympics medal count is neck-and-neck after a week of the Games. Heading into the weekend, the United States has closed the distance but remains four medals behind China for the total medal lead.
Thanks to magnificent performances from the U.S. men’s and women’s swimming teams, the USA finds itself in a good position to make a run over the weekend.
If you remember correctly, it was the U.S. and China competing back and forth in the medal count at the 2008 Olympic Games. China won the most gold medals, but the U.S. racked up the biggest medal count.
The amount of gold medals the U.S. can haul in this weekend will be the decisive factor as to whether or not history will repeat itself in London. If the Americans, favored to win many medals, can translate some of those to gold instead of silver, they can go home with the both the gold medal and total medal leads when all is said and done.
American swimmers aren’t done yet, either.
Today, Michael Phelps (100-meter butterfly), Tyler McGill (100-meter butterfly), Anthony Ervin (50-meter free), Cullen Jones (50-meter free), Missy Franklin (200-meter backstroke), Elizabeth Beisel (200-meter backstroke), and Katie Ledecky (800-meter free) all have strong chances at taking home a medal for the U.S.
Swimming has been one of the biggest medal producers and distance-makers for the U.S. in these Olympics. A likely strong final push would be the final gesture of dominance for the remarkable American swimmers.
U.S. track and field dominates the Chinese
Like swimming, the United States is not only expected to perform excellently in the upcoming track and field events, but it's expected to be dominant. This is important for the medal count, because these are events that China is not likely to be very competitive in. If the U.S. can put up a strong showing, it will begin to close the gap and even take a lead over the Chinese in the medal count this weekend.
In Beijing, the U.S. track and field athletes took home seven gold medals and 23 total in an impressive routing of China. The Chinese only recorded two bronze medals in the walloping by the Americans.
This weekend’s track and field events will be turning point in the medal lead in these 2012 Olympics.
Men’s doubles tennis is a lock
Mike and Bob Bryan, U.S. doubles teammates and brothers, have reached the gold-medal game set to take place on Sunday, August 5. The two were the top-seeded pair and are guaranteed at least a silver medal for the U.S. this weekend.
In 2008, the pair brought home the bronze medal from Beijing. The brothers have played together their whole lives and won 11 Grand Slam titles, but they have yet to taste a gold-medal victory. This weekend, with no China in sight in the competition, the brothers will help the U.S. make things interesting.