The United States women’s basketball team thumped Spain 101-72 to claim a sixth straight gold medal on Saturday to rubber-stamp their credentials as one of the greatest Olympic sporting dynasties of all time.
After a sloppy start that saw Spain lead much of the opening quarter, the US finally settled into their familiar rhythm, turning a 10-0 run into a 17-point halftime lead.
From then on there was no way back for Spain as the US extended their Olympic winning streak to a staggering 49-0.
Only two other teams can claim such a run of domination in an Olympic team sport. The US men’s basketball team earned seven consecutive gold medals from 1936-1968 while India claimed six straight men’s field hockey titles from 1928-1956.
“It’s mind boggling when you think about it what this team has been able to accomplish, this programme,” said US coach Geno Auriemma. “There is such a level of expectation, such a level of respect and it filters down. Everyone who puts that jersey on they get it. We’re doing stuff that may never be done again.”
For Spain, the silver was their first medal in Olympic women’s basketball.
Earlier, Serbia beat France 70-63 in the bronze medal game.
With the US victory Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings and Diana Taurasi joined former teammates Teresa Edwards and Lisa Leslie as the only players to win four gold medals in basketball.
Taurasi and Lindsay Whalen paced the US on the scoreboard, pouring in 17 points apiece, while Maya Moore potted 14.
“It’s pretty incredible,” said 34-year-old Taurasi, who left the door open for a possible fifth Olympic run. “We had the goal to win the gold medal but there is something more to it than that. It’s not about one person, one coach, it’s about how can we make this the best basketball team ever.”
Team USA captain Bird, who sat out the semi-finals with a knee injury, was back in the line-up and was also non-committal about her national team future while Catchings confirmed that Saturday’s gold medal game was her last.
Humbled 103-63 by the US in preliminary round play, Spain had looked determined to offer more resistance in the final, holding a 17-14 lead late in the opening quarter.
But after Angel McCoughtry hit a layup and connected on two free throw attempts the US never trailed again.
“It’s one thing to do the unexpected, it’s another to do what you are expected to do year-after-year, game-after-game, quarter-after-quarter,” said Maya Moore. “This team didn’t get complacent. I think that is the sign of a true champion, someone who loves the game.”
Four golds in hand, American trio may say farewell to Games
Three American women made history on Saturday by tying the Olympic record for the most golds in basketball at four. Chances are they won’t be back for the record-breaking fifth.
Tamika Catchings, 37, said it was her last game with the national team. Captain Sue Bird, 35, said she’s not retiring from basketball so it’s “weird” for her to talk about the future. “Ask me in year or so,” she said after leading the Americans to their sixth consecutive gold.
Diana Taurasi, 34 and the top scorer in Team USA’s 101-72 defeat of Spain, is leaving the door open to Tokyo 2020.
Whatever they decide, Coach Geno Auriemma is already contemplating a passing of the torch.
“It’s a very emotional time when you’re around these players — Sue, Diana and Tamika — and you know this may be their last,” said Auriemma. “And at the same time,” he added, “you have three young players that have never been here before and they get to go home with a gold medal.”
Elena Delle Donne was one of those first-time Olympians and she was already thinking about life without the three elder stateswomen.
“I am a little bit sad that this journey is over with these incredible people,” said the 26-year-old Delle Donne, most valuable player of the WNBA league in 2015.
Forward Angel McCoughtry, 29, said her second gold with the team was different because she “got to play with Diana and Sue and Tamika Catchings one last time.”
“I think this is it for them and this is special because I may not see them again. Four times, that is amazing. So I am glad I got to spend the fourth with them.”
Auriemma was especially full of praise for Taurasi, a guard that he began coaching at 17 and who he said had a “storybook tournament.”
“I have been very fortunate to have coached some of the most iconic players in the game, so the biggest challenge is next year,” Auriemma said. “We don’t have that next year on our team, or the year after that, I don’t see anybody coming along that is at that level,” he added.
Catchings, a forward, said she had imagined herself being an Olympian when she was younger, but she never imagined doing it four times and winning.
“This part of my life is over,” Catchings said. “I feel God has blessed me with so many things and this is only part of my life, but whatever I do next is going to be bigger than this.”
