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As the Tokyo Games came to a close Sunday, American women helped the country take the lead in total gold medals thanks to victories in basketball, volleyball and cycling omnium.
It was American Jennifer Valente's victory in the latter, in which she survived a frightening multi-racer crash that included a previous two-time gold medalist, that earned the United States both its first win in the sport and its 39th gold medal of the Games.
Her win capped off an Olympics in which female athletes deservedly grabbed headlines for their excellence on the field, court, mat and in the pool.
Women accounted for 66 of the United States' medals in the Tokyo Games, a record for any nation in Olympic history.
Final Medal Count
Complete list at Olympics.com.
7 Straight Golds for Team USA in Women's Hoops
Team USA women's basketball won its seventh straight Olympic gold medal Sunday, defeating host country Japan 90-75. It was a win that further solidified the country's dominance in international play and, for two of its most respected players, established their legacies as the most decorated.
Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi each won her fifth gold medal, making them the most decorated basketball players in United States Olympic history, regardless of gender.
"They've done so much for USA Basketball that the rest of us players are just continuing to try and return the favor and make sure that they realize how much we appreciate them," teammate Breanna Stewart said, per ESPN's Mechelle Voepel.
Their leadership and superb play from Stewart, Brittney Griner and reigning WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson fueled the team in a mostly uncontested competition.
Griner and Wilson dominated the middle Sunday to the tune of 30 and 19 points, respectively, while Stewart added another 14.
The game marked Dawn Staley's final as head coach as she stepped down following the win. "Our country has a lot of great coaches that can get the job done. Me, being a part of I believe six, that's enough. I'm full, I'm full," she said, per USA Today's Dan Wolken.
Takada Maki, arguably Japan's best during these Games, scored 17 points for the host country en route to a silver medal.
US Volleyball Makes History with 1st Gold
Team USA women's volleyball didn't just defeat Brazil to capture the organization's first gold medal Sunday in the Olympics, it blanked the runners-up, beating them in straight sets. A dominant team throughout the Games, it had lost only one of its eight total matches over the course of the competition.
Jordan Larson, in her third Olympics, delivered the final kill to send Brazil to its first loss. She spoke on her emotions following the victory, per Olivia Reiner of USA Today. "I've cried more in the last 24 hours than I think I have in my career. I'm not an emotional player, emotional person, but I think just the emotions got the best of me. I'm now in kind of this euphoria and like shock state."
Also in shock? Brazil, which entered the contest unbeaten but was soundly defeated.
American coach Karch Kiraly touted the credibility of Brazil and its history of denying the U.S. in Olympic competition. "Brazil is a legend in indoor volleyball, both on the women's side and the men's side...we lost to them in the final in 2008 in Beijing and in 2012 in London."
Team USA accomplished the goal without star spiker Jordan Thompson, who also missed Friday's semifinal against Serbia, making the team's victories in both rounds that much more impressive and memorable.
Showing grit and tenacity, a trademark of the United States' efforts in this year's Games, the women of Team USA volleyball now take their place in the history books.
France completed one of the best underdog stories of the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday by winning the men's volleyball gold medal.
France had not finished higher than eighth place in any of its four previous appearances at the Summer Olympics.
The gold-winning side busted out a two-set lead over the Russian Olympic Committee before the match was forced into a fifth set. The first four sets in Olympic volleyball are played to 25. The final set is a race to 15 points.
France used the first of its two match points to finish off the Russians and capture the nation's first-ever gold and overall medal in men's volleyball.
France 3, Russian Olympic Committee 2
France took the early control of the gold-medal match by winning the first two sets 25-23 and 25-17.
The ROC bounced back with two straight-set victories by a 25-21 score, but France regained control in the final set.
France broke away on the scoreboard after the final set was tied at 11. The European side used a 4-1 advantage in the final five points to capture the gold medal.
The French were powered by Earvin Ngapeth, who was responsible for a match-high 26 points. Jean Patry contributed 15 points and Trevor Clevenot chipped in 11 points.
The win looks even more shocking when you consider the volleyball histories of both sets of athletes. Russia medaled in men's volleyball in five of the last six Olympics.
The Russian athletes are competing under the Russian Olympic Committee name because the Russian flag and anthem are banned from the Tokyo Olympics due to the results of a doping scandal.
France's victory may set up a lengthy run at, or near, the top of the sport. The French will host the next Summer Olympics in Paris in 2024 and should use the success in Tokyo to further grow the success of the program.
Argentina 3, Brazil 2
Argentina bested its South American rival to come away with its second-ever bronze medal.
The Argentines won the opening set 25-23, but then Brazil rallied back for a pair of 25-20 results to earn a 2-1 lead heading into the fourth set.
Argentina rallied back to earn the largest margin of victory in a set in the bronze-medal match. It took the fourth set 25-17.
The bronze medalists carried that momentum into the fifth set that they won 15-13. The five-set victory secured the country's first men's volleyball medal since it won the bronze medal at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
Argentina earned four of its five victories in Tokyo by 3-2 margins. The only win of another type came in a straight-set group-stage victory over the United States.
Saturday's win over Brazil avenged a 3-2 loss that occurred in the group stage. Brazil won the gold medal at the 2004 and 2016 Olympics, but it could not come away from Tokyo with a medal.
The Tokyo Olympics concludes Sunday with what will undoubtedly be an awe-inspiring closing ceremony, but before that, there are still several dozen medals to be earned by world-class athletes on the grandest stage in sports.
The United States' women's basketball team will look to cap off a tournament it has dominated by winning its seventh consecutive gold medal.
Team USA's women's volleyball will also look to add to the country's gold-medal count in its final against Brazil.
Women's Basketball Seeks Historic Gold Against Home Team
In order for the U.S. women's basketball team to capture a seventh straight Olympic gold medal, it will have to defeat host nation Japan.
Reigning WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson will celebrate her 25th birthday as she takes the court for the game. The Las Vegas Aces forward has been among the best players in the Olympics, scoring double digits in every game but one.
She saw a reduced role in the semis against Serbia, but that only served to freshen her up and allow her to focus on a gold-medal game, wherein the U.S. will need her in order to win.
Wilson and fellow Olympic rookie Chelsea Gray know exactly what they are playing for.
"Legacy. It's a standard that USA Basketball has set," Gray told the media following her team's victory over Australia. "There's a lot of great people who have come through this program, some that are still playing."
Two such people are Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi who, at 40 and 39, respectively, may well be competing in their final Games. Their veteran leadership has been invaluable.
Breanna Stewart and Brittney Griner have come up big for the team too in just their second Olympics.
The team will look to utilize what has been a stifling defense throughout the competition to thwart a Japan team that is vastly superior from beyond the arc and touts similar stats. The teams met before in the group stage in a game won by the Americans.
Bird, Taurasi, Wilson, Stewart, Griner and the rest of the team take the court Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Team USA Women's Volleyball Battles Brazil for Gold
U.S. women's volleyball head coach Karch Kiraly choked up as he stood in front of the microphone following his team's victory over Serbia, with tears welling up in his eyes. "I want them to experience standing at the top of the podium," he told reporters.
This was a coach whose love for his team and players was evident. He had just watched them overcome the world champions in game that showed their maturity and determination.
The team put away Serbia in decisive fashion, winning in straight sets, thanks to strong showings from opposite Andrea Drews and outside hitter Jordan Larson. The team will hope to have spiker Jordan Thompson back for the final after she sat out the Serbia match with an ankle injury.
The U.S. will need her if it hopes to keep alive its gold-medal aspirations.
Brazil has not been as convincing throughout the tournament, but it has found success through its blocks.
Four players on the team have managed three blocks each.
The U.S. team is surprisingly loose given the enormity of the moment facing them Sunday, though.
"People say we're going to be under so much pressure because we've never won the gold medal," Larson said, per Steve Drumwright of Team USA. "But we're under no pressure because we've never done it. Why not go out swinging?"
The U.S. competes for volleyball gold Sunday at 12:30 a.m. ET.
