Olympics: Japan Leading Medal Table So Far, France Close Behind

After a big day for Luxembourg table tennis star Ni Xia Lian at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games, there were no sporting events for Team Lëtzebuerg athletes on Monday 29 July 2024.

Luxembourg's Minister of Sport, Georges Mischo, together with the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess, Luxembourg's Ambassador to France, Marc Ungeheuer, and the President of the Comité Olympique et Sportif Luxembourgeois (COSL), André Hoffmann, took the opportunity to visit the Fondation Biermans Lapôtre student residence where they met with young people from the Saar-Lor-Lux Youth Camp Paris2024. The Ministry of Sport added that students from Luxembourg's Sportlycée, together with young people from Germany and France, took part in this international camp in Paris.

Thirteen Luxembourg athletes qualified for the Summer Olympics, with Ni Xia Lian having already secured her spot in the second round of the table tennis individual competitions. The Round of 32 kicks off on Tuesday 30 July 2024, although Ni Xia Lian is expected to play on Wednesday 31 July 2024. Fellow Team Lëtzebuerg athlete Ralph Daleiden-Ciuferri will compete in the men's 100m freestyle - heats (swimming) on Tuesday.

Olympic Medals at a Glance

At the time of writing, Japan was top of the medal table, with six gold, two silver and four bronze medals (twelve in total). Japan’s athletes have won gold so far in the disciplines of artistic gymnastics, fencing, judo (two) and skateboarding (two).

France was in second place with five gold, eight silver and three bronze (sixteen overall). Athletes won gold in canoe slalom, cycling mountain bike, fencing, rugby sevens and swimming.

China was in third place with five gold, five silver and two bronze medals (twelve overall). Athletes won gold in diving (two) and shooting (three). Australia and South Korea rounded out the top 5, each with nine medals in total (including five gold each).

Team USA had the most medals overall (20) but ranked sixth at the time of writing, with three gold, eight silver and nine bronze medals. Among the star athletes at the Summer Olympics is Team USA's Simone Biles, who is the most decorated gymnast in history. She last competed at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, where her withdrawal notably put a spotlight on mental health in sports.

Currently in seventh place at this year's Summer Olympics, Team GB has secured ten medals so far: two gold, five silver and three bronze. Among its athletes is star diver Tom Daley, who has already secured a silver medal for the men's diving syncronised 10m platform.

Italy (eight medals), Canada (five) and Hong Kong (three) rounded out the top 10 at the time of writing; each have secured two gold medals so far.

Medal events on Tuesday 30 July 2024 include: artistic gymnastics; fencing; judo; rugby sevens; shooting; swimming; table tennis.