U.S. Leads Overall, China Leads Gold Medal Count on Wednesday

The United States and China lead the medal count thus far in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, according to reports on Monday.



The U.S. is second to China with 26 gold medals. The U.S. has also earned 28 silver medals and 28 bronze medals to bring their medal count to 82 overall, the highest of all nations.



Michael Phelps set the all-time Olympic record for eight gold medals in a single Olympics, breaking Mark Spitz's record from the 1972 Olympics. Phelps extended his all-time record for most Olympic gold medals to 14.



Phelps set Olympic records in each event, but set seven, not eight, world records. Phelps missed the world record in the 100-meter freestyle (50.58), but set an Olympic record in the event.



Phelps set a world and Olympic record in the 200-meter individual medley (1:54.23), the 200-meter freestyle (1:42.96), 200-meter butterfly (1:52.03), 4x200 freestyle relay (6:58.56), the 4x100 medley relay (3:29.34), the 400m individual medley (4:03.84) and 4x100 freestyle relay (3:08.24).



Phelps won the exhilarating 4x100 freestyle relay, along with Cullen Jones, Garrett Weber-Gale and anchor Jason Lesak on last Sunday.



Nastia Luikin won the individual all-around final in women's gymnastics as she totaled four medals during the Olympics. Shawn Johnson won the gold medal for the balance beam to add to her two silver medals. The women's team won silver in the team final, while the men's team won bronze.



Venus and Serena Williams won the gold medal in the women's doubles final in tennis. In track and field, Angelo Taylor won the 400m hurdles, Dawn Harper won the 110m hurdles and Stephanie Brown Trafton won the women's discus throw.