Overall, 79 nations received at least one medal, and 53 of them won at least one gold medal.[3][4] Athletes from host nation United States won the most medals overall, with 101, and the most gold medals, with 44. It marked the first time the United States led the medal count in both gold and overall medals since 1984 and the first at a non-boycotted Olympics since 1968.[2][5]Russia won the second most gold medals (26) and the third most total medals (63). Germany won the third most gold medals (20) and the second most total medals (65).[6][7]
This Olympics also marked Hong Kong's final appearance as a British colony, before its handover to China, during which it also won its first ever medal, a gold in sailing; this was the only medal Hong Kong ever won while under British rule.
Andre Agassi won the gold medal in the men's singles tennis competition.[9]Steve Redgrave won the men's coxless pair rowing competition, which was his fourth consecutive victory in the event and Great Britain's only gold medal at these Games.[10]
The medal table is based on information provided by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and is consistent with IOC convention in its published medal tables. By default, the table is ordered by the number of gold medals the athletes from a nation have won, where nation is an entity represented by a National Olympic Committee (NOC). The number of silver medals is taken into consideration next and then the number of bronze medals.