The London Summer Olympics had many golden moments for the U.S., which won the most medals of any country, including 46 gold, 29 silver and 29 bronze. In total, the U.S. won 104 medals, placing it way ahead of China, which took home 88 medals, including 38 gold, 27 silver and 23 bronze.
The UK, the host country of the games, came in third with 65 total medals, including 29 gold medals, while Russia won 82 medals, 24 of them gold.
The games ended Sunday.
In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China outperformed the U.S. in terms of the gold medal count. A major chunk of the U.S. medals came from the swimming pool (16 gold, 19 silver and 6 bronze) and athletics (9 gold, 13 silver and 7 bronze).
The medal count increased in diving and track-and-field events compared to that in the Beijing Olympics. Swimmers garnered more gold from the pool, though the total medal count remained the same as that in the Beijing Olympics.
Female U.S. athletes helped to bring glory to the nation, winning 29 out of the 46 gold medals for the country; however, the performances by the fencing, sailing and men's boxing teams was disappointing. The fencing medals were down to one, from six in Beijing, while both the U.S. sailing team and men's boxing team drew blanks.
Check out the pictures of the U.S. team's golden moments at the London Olympics.
Members of the men's 4x200m freestyle relay team including Michael Phelps celebrate their gold medal win in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay victory ceremony during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics CentreReutersTyler Clary of the U.S. celebrates after winning the men's 200m backstroke final during the London 2012 Olympic Games ReutersFranklin and Vollmer of the U.S. hug Britain's Turner and Miley after winning gold in the women's 4x200m freestyle relay final with an Olympic record during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics CenterReutersRyan Lochte of the U.S. holds his bronze medal during the men's 200m backstroke victory ceremony during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics CentreReuters Dana Vollmer of the U.S. reacts after winning the women's 100m butterfly final during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics CenterReutersKatie Ledecky of the U.S. swims in the women's 800m freestyle heats during the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersRebecca Soni of the U.S waves after winning the women's 200m breaststroke final with a world record during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics CentreReutersRebecca Soni of the U.S. flips her hair as she poses with her gold medal in the women's 200m breaststroke victory ceremony during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics CentreReutersWinner Missy Franklin of the U.S. receives a kiss from second-placed Russia's Anastasia Zueva after the women's 200m backstroke final during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics CentreReutersMissy Franklin of the U.S. poses with her gold medal after winning the women's 200m backstroke final with a world record during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics CenterReuters(L-R) Missy Franklin, Rebecca Soni, Dana Vollmer and Allison Schmitt of the U.S. pose with their gold medals on the podium after winning the women's 4x100m medley relay final during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics CentreReuterssReutersNathan Adrian of the U.S. celebrates winning the men's 100m freestyle final during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics CenterReutersGold medallist Serena Williams of the U.S. poses after winning the women's singles gold medal match against Russia's Sharapova at the All England Lawn Tennis Club during the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersSerena Williams and her sister Venus Williams, of the U.S., pose with their gold medals during the presentation ceremony for the women's doubles tennis at the All England Lawn Tennis Club during the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersMike and Bob Bryan of the U.S. kiss their gold medals after defeating France's Tsonga and Llodra in their men's doubles tennis gold medal match at the All England Lawn Tennis Club during the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersJacob Stephen Varner of U.S. with his gold medal listens national anthem at the podium of the Men's 96Kg Freestyle wrestling at the ExCel venue during the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersJordan Ernest Burroughs of U.S. reacts after defeating Iran's Sadegh Saeed Goudarzi on the final of the Men's 74Kg Freestyle wrestling at the ExCel venue during the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersAllison Schmitt of the U.S. poses with her gold medal after winning the women's 200m freestyle final during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics CenterReutersVincent Hancock of the U.S. poses with Denmark's Anders Golding and Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah during the men's skeet victory ceremony at the Royal Artillery Barracks during the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersThe U.S. team poses with head coach Krikorian wearing all of their gold medals after their win over Spain in their Women's Gold Medal water polo match during the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersGold medallists Misty May-Treanor of the U.S. and team mate Kerri Walsh Jennings celebrate with their medals at the women's beach volleyball victory ceremony at the Horse Guards ParadeReutersMembers of the U.S. women's basketball team pose with their gold medals during victory ceremony at the North Greenwich Arena during the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersMembers of the U.S. men's basketball team pose with their gold medals during victory ceremony at the North Greenwich Arena during the London 2012 Olympic Games ReutersA combo picture showing Gabrielle Douglas of the U.S. competing in the four different apparatus of the women's individual all-around gymnastics final during the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersAllyson Felix of the U.S. celebrates with her national flag after winning the women's 200m final during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic StadiumReuters Aries Merritt with the gold medal in Men's 110m HurdlesReutersU.S. team celebrate after winning gold in the women's 4x100m relay final during the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersTeam USA react after winning the gold medals at the victory ceremony after the women's eight finals rowing event during the London 2012 Olympic Games at Eton DorneyReutersGold medallist Kristin Armstrong of the U.S celebrates with her 22-month-old son Lucas William Savola on the podium during the victory ceremony of the women's cycling individual time trial at the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersAshton of the U.S. celebrates winning the men's decathlon with compatriot and second placed Trey Hardee during the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersDavid Boudia and Nicholas Mccrory of the U.S. perform a dive in the men's synchronised 10m platform final during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics CenterReutersBrittney Reese of the U.S. reacts after winning the women's long jump final during the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersChristian Taylor- Christian Taylor and Will Claye of U.S. celebrate winning gold and silver at London 2012 Olympic Games ReutersKayla Harrison of the U.S. reacts after defeating Brazil's Mayra Aguiar in women's -78kg semi-final judo match at London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersSanya Richards-Ross of the U.S. celebrates after she won gold in the women's 400m final during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic StadiumReutersJennifer Suhr of U.S. competes in women's pole vault final at London 2012 Olympic Games. Jennifer Suhr won gold, Yarisley Silva of Cuba was second-placed and Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia was in third position. ReutersAlexandra Raisman of the U.S. competes in the women's gymnastics balance beam final in the North Greenwich Arena during the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersAlexandra Raisman of the U.S. is hugged by team mate Jordyn Wieber after competing in the women's gymnastics floor exercise final in the North Greenwich ArenaReutersAlexandra Raisman of the U.S. competes in the women's gymnastics balance beam final in the North Greenwich Arena during the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersClaressa-Claressa Shields of the U.S. (R) is declared the winner over Russia's Nadezda Torlopova after their Women's Middle (75kg) gold medal boxing match at the London Olympic GamesReutersPlayers of the U.S. women's Olympic football team attend a training session during the London 2012 Olympic Games outside ManchesterReutersJamie Lynn Gray of U.S. prepares to aim on the Women's 50m rifle 3 positions qualification at the Royal Artillery Barracks during the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersMatthew Grevers, Brendan Hansen and Michael Phelps, members of the U.S. men's 4x100m medley relay team, react while waiting for their team mate Nathan Adrian to swim the last leg in the men's 4x100m medley relay final during the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersJamie Lynn Gray of U.S. prepares to aim on the Women's 50m rifle 3 positions qualification at the Royal Artillery Barracks during the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersGold medallist Kimberly Rhode of the U.S. blows kisses to the crowd at the victory ceremony for the women's skeet competition at the London 2012 Olympic GamesReutersMichael Phelps of the U.S. celebrates with his trophy awarded to him by FINA honouring him as the most decorated Olympian of all time during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre.ReutersMatthew Grevers of the U.S.celebrates winning the men's 100m backstroke final at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics CenterReuters
