Paris Olympics 2024: Australia beating out leading nations on per capita medal tally
Australia’s lead atop the Olympics medal tally has faded over the course of the Paris Olympics but our athletes are continuing to punch above their weight on the per capita charts.
After day 11 in Paris, Australia have pressed up to third on the medal chart with 14 gold medals, behind the United States with 24 and China with 22 and ahead of host nation France (13) and Great Britain (12).
But on the per capita charts, which divide a country’s population by their amount of golds won, the fifth-placed Aussies sit comfortably ahead of France in 15th, Great Britain in 18th, the US in 29th and China in 44th.
Camera IconThe United States have won 24 gold medals in Paris but sit 29th on the per capita chart. Credit: Pool/Getty Images
Australia’s 14 golds against a population of approximately 25.5 million people roughly equates to one gold for every 1.8 million people.
Of the seven nations with a double-digit gold tally, they are far and away the leaders in the metric, with 14th-placed South Korea the next best.
Caribbean countries currently own the top two spots on the charts, with Dominica sitting first after Thea LaFond won the country — which has a population of just 72,000 people — their first ever gold in the women’s triple jump and 184,000-person Saint Lucia in second thanks to Julien Alfred’s win in the women’s 100m.
Camera IconThea LaFond’s win in the women’s triple jump has rocketed Dominica to the top of the per capita race. Credit: Luke Hales/Getty Images
New Zealand and Ireland, who have both won three gold medals from populations just under five million people, currently sit ahead of Australia in third and fourth respectively.
Australia finished 12th on the per capita charts with their haul of 17 gold medals in Tokyo.
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