Hong Kong, CNN — China has achieved its best-ever performance at an overseas Olympics, matching the United States with 40 gold medals at the Paris 2024 Games. This marks the first time in Olympic history that two countries have tied for the most golds at a Summer Games. However, the United States claimed the top spot overall with 126 total medals, compared to China’s 91.
The competition between the two sporting superpowers was intensely close, reflecting their ongoing geopolitical rivalry. The Games, which were also marked by a significant doping controversy, saw China’s early lead—boosted by dominance in shooting and diving—erased as the US surged ahead in track and field events.
China’s achievement in Paris places it among only three countries—after the US and the former Soviet Union—to top the gold medal count at a Summer Olympics held outside their home country. Chinese state media celebrated the “record-breaking” performance, viewing it as a testament to the success of the country’s modernization and its impact on public health and sports development.
On Chinese social media, the hashtag “China tied for first place on the gold medal leaderboard” became a top trending topic, garnering over 500 million views. Many users expressed national pride and criticized what they perceived as unfair attempts by US officials to tarnish China’s achievements with doping allegations.
The controversy surrounding China’s swim team, which faced intense scrutiny due to past doping revelations, added a layer of complexity to the Games. Allegations surfaced that nearly half of the Chinese swim team from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics had tested positive for a banned substance. Although these claims were addressed by the China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) and accepted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), skepticism persisted.
Further controversy arose when two Chinese swimmers tested positive for trace amounts of an anabolic steroid in 2022. They were provisionally suspended but later cleared of violations by Chinese officials, citing contamination from food.
In response, Chinese officials and state media accused the US of “double standards” and using doping issues to undermine China’s success. The Chinese Embassy in Washington criticized the US for allegedly using the doping issue to “smear and suppress” China.
CHINADA has called for more rigorous testing of American athletes, referencing past doping controversies in the US, including a case involving sprinter Erriyon Knighton. The US Anti-Doping Agency had cleared Knighton after an independent arbitrator determined his failed test was likely due to contaminated meat.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV recently published an article criticizing the US’s handling of doping issues and calling for greater transparency in American sports, particularly in light of the upcoming 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
As China reflects on its historic performance and navigates the ongoing doping controversy, it remains committed to fostering its position as a dominant force in international sports.