Credits: USA TODAY Sports
For the eighth time since 1996, The United States of America has finished with the most gold medals at the Olympics. And it was the women athletes who were majorly responsible for the American contingent finishing the Paris Games with 40 gold medals. Isiah Thomas seemed to be extremely proud of this feat and even shed light on the same by sharing it on X.
Out of the 40 gold medals that the contingent with 592 members won, 26 of them were won by women athletes – the most by any women’s team in a single Olympics. Being responsible for 65% of the USA’s gold medals, Isiah Thomas congratulated America’s women contingent for this historic feat in a wholesome X post.
“Who run the world? Girls,” IT wrote.
The 2024 Olympics witnessed some of the most impressive performances by the women’s contingent. Simone Biles made history by becoming the most decorated gymnast in history, Katie Ledecky won the 800m freestyle for the fourth time in a row, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone dominated the 400m hurdles once again, and Gabby Thomas finished as the athlete with the most gold medals (3) in track & field, among several other notable individual performances.
Additionally, there were numerous historic performances in team sports as well – the USWNT won its 5th gold medal and the basketball team improved their record to 61 straight wins at the Olympics.
Isiah Thomas’s praise for women’s sports stems from his long-standing advocacy for gender equality in athletics. His commitment to promoting women’s sports is evident in his active involvement with the WNBA. From 2015 to 2019, Thomas served as the president of the New York Liberty, dedicating four years to elevating the league’s profile and championing its growth.
Even years after he was released from his role, the Detroit Pistons legend continues to use his platform to shed light on women’s sports.