Hot favourites the United States won Olympic men’s basketball gold by outgunning Spain 118-107 in a final of hard fouls and flying elbows. The American players whooped with joy at the final buzzer before forming a huddle and dancing around the centre circle as chants of “USA, USA” erupted from the crowd of 18,000.

Gli Stati Uniti tornano a vincere l’oro, che mancava da Sydney 2000. Contro i campioni del mondo finisce 118-107. Partita stupenda: interpreti strepitosi Wade e Fernandez, ma i canestri decisivi sono di Bryant.