Team USA closes out Paralympics with gold-worthy moments

The GIST: And just like that, the 2024 Paris Paralympics have come to an end. Team USA finished with 105 medals (36 gold, 42 silver, 27 bronze) and were carried out of the City of Light by swimmer Ellie Marks and wheelchair basketballer Paul Schulte during yesterday’s Closing Ceremony. Let’s recap a magnifique final weekend.

Women’s sitting volleyball and men’s wheelchair basketball complete three-peats: After falling to the People’s Republic of China to open the tourney, the Americans bounced back in a big way, winning Saturday’s gold medal game in a hard-fought four sets behind five-time Paralympic veterans Katie Holloway and Heather Erickson. Diggin’ it.

• Speaking of veterans, wheelchair basketball legend Steve Serio led Team USA with 24 points and 10 rebounds as the red, white, and blue became the first men’s wheelchair basketball team to win three straight golds following their 73–69 Saturday dub over Great Britain.

Paralympic favorites Jessica Long and Hunter Woodhall stay golden: Swimming icon Long defended her 100m S8 butterfly title on Saturday, a historic victory that was not only her second gold in Paris, but also her 18th career gold and 31st overall, making her the second-most decorated American Paralympian in history.

• Over on the track, Hunter Woodhall —Olympic gold-medalist Tara Davis-Woodhall’s other half — crossed the men’s T62 400m finish line first on Friday to win his first career gold medal. Power couple alert.

Networks saw 125% viewership jump from Tokyo Paralympics: Along with record crowds on-site in Paris, more fans watched the Paralympics from home, too. Peacock, NBC, USA Network, and CNBC averaged 231K viewers throughout the games. Trés bien, indeed.