Bahamas defends per capita medal count

COLUMBIA, SC--The closing ceremonies have now aired in the Eastern Time Zone, and so the Games of the XXIX Olympiad are officially over in the United States. The United States has successfully defended its overall medal count with 110 total, but host nation China led the way with 51 gold medals. While these results are certainly worthy of praise, and I salute all the winners from every country, the US and China are the third and first most populous nations on earth, accounting for approximately 1 in 4 residents of the world. Together, they took 28.8% of the gold medals, but only 21.9% of the total medals. This leaves plenty of other medals to go around, and I think the best way to examine this is on a per capita basis. Therefore, I have normalized the total medal number count for each nation by its population giving on the description of the country on NBC's Olympic coverage.

Once again, the Bahamas leads the way in the per capita standings. In 2004, they had a gold and a bronze. In 2008, they had two medals, both in Track and Field ( silver in Men's 4x400m Relay and bronze in the Men's Triple Jump), but with only 305,655 people, the Bahamas lapped the field with 6.543 medals per million people (mpmp).

Jamaica more than doubled their 2004 medal total to jump from seventh per capita finish second in 2008. Their 11 medals equates to 3.957 mpmp. All 11 medals were in the sprints, with Usain Bolt setting world records as he won gold in the 100m, 200m, and the 4x100m Relay. The Jamaican women were not to be outdown with Shelly-Ann Fraiser taking the 100m gold, Veronica Campbell-Brown winning the women's 200m, and Melaine Walker winning the 400m hurdles. Plus, in a beautiful photo finish, Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart tied for the silver in the Women's 100m.

While third place Slovenia's five medals included a Track and Field gold (Primoz Kozmus was primo in the Men's Hammer Throw), they proved to be a more well rounded nation with silver medals in Sailing's Laser and Swimming's Women's 200m Freestyle, and bronzes in Judo's Woment's +78 kg and Shooting's Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions. This gives them 2.488 mpmp.

Four other countries had more than 2 mpmp: Australia (2.251), New Zealand (2.187), Norway (2.161), and Cuba (2.106). Australia and Cuba were second and third, respectively, in 2004, but Norway and New Zealand leaped up from 15th and 16th.

Twelve nations returned home with more than 1 mpmp: Belarus, Trinidad and Tobago, Estonia, Bahrain, Lithuania, Mongolia, Latvia, Georgia, Denmark, Croatia, Slovakia, and Hungary.

Other nations of note include 2012 hosts Great Britain at 24th (0.778 mpmp), Canada (33rd), Russia (34th), Germany (35th), Italy (36th), Spain (37th), and Kenya (38th).

The United States was 42nd with 0.3653 mpmp, just behind Austria's 0.3659 mpmp, and just ahead of Romania's 0.359 mpmp. The US was 41st in 2004.

China ranked 68th with 0.0756 mpmp, in between Brazil and Ecuador.

While their total medal count tripled from 1 in 2004 to 3 in 2008, India again trailed the pack at 86th with 0.00266 mpmp, an order of magnitude behind 85th ranked Vietnam.

In terms of gold medals per million people (gpmp), Jamaica's sprinters propelled their nation to 2.158 gpmp and the victory.

Rashid Ramzi's gold in the Men's 1500m run was the first Olympic medal ever for Bahrain. With a population of only 708,573, they are the only other nation with more than 1 gpmp (1.411).

Estonia's Gerd Kanter's gold in the Men's Discus gave his homeland third place at 0.760 gpmp. New Zealand, Australia, Mongolia, Norway, Georgia, Slovakia, and Slovenia round out the top ten.

The US was 33rd with 0.120 gpmp, just between Azerbaijan and France. China was 48th, and India was 55th and last.

The full results are here.