Olympic Medal Count 2012: Battle Between USA and China Best Storyline of London

The Olympic medal count isn't actually an official competition. No country actually wins the Olympic Games. It's something that we have conjured up to turn the Olympics into something of a battle between countries.

The medal count is a way to turn the Olympics into a country versus country competition. When you watch the Olympics, you associate an athlete with their respective country. It becomes all about who can win the most medals for their country.

While that may not be the right way to go about things, as people should spend time focusing on the individual competing rather than what nation they represent, it provides a much-needed shot in the arm.

It keeps people interested no matter how the events go. If the United States screws up in swimming, it doesn't decimate the fans' hopes of the country seeing Olympic success because there are countless other events to contribute to the overall medal count.

It creates an ever-developing big picture to look at.

The battle between the United States and China is being revisited again this year. It's no surprise that these two countries typically find themselves atop the leaderboard.

China always finds itself amongst the leaders thanks to the massive population advantage it boasts. With over 1.3 billion people, it would be nothing short of a colossal failure if the Chinese weren't competing for first place in the medal count.

The United States has its advantage thanks to the incredible popularity of athletic competition in the country. Sure, the endless resources help the cause, but the country would be nowhere near as prominent in the world of sports if the culture didn't stress sports and what they stand for.

(Also, 300 million people isn't that small of a number either.)

In these 2012 London Olympics, there are countless storylines. Some are created for the sake of ratings and popularity, while others arise out of thin air.

This competition atop the overall medal count leaderboard is neither of those.

Both populations believe that their country is the greatest in the world. That opinion is held in numerous countries all over the world, but to say that nationalistic sentiments are very popular in the U.S. and China would be an understatement.

When you combine nationalism and athletics, you get war without the bloody consequences.

Take LeBron James and Team USA for example. Most of the American population outside of South Beach despises James during the NBA season, but the entire country backs him during the Olympics.

Why? Because "we" need to get that gold medal.

There are few things in this world better than the Olympics. It allows entire countries to unite behind a common belief. While the general population can't do much to affect the outcome, it keeps them interested.

More specifically, it is the overall medal count that keeps them interested.

The United States and China will continue to fight for the top spot in the medal count, and only one will win. It's the best storyline of these Olympics and will only get better as we approach the end of the Games.

Here are the top five countries in the medal count.

Country	Total	Gold	Silver	Bronze
United States	37	18	9	10
China	33	18	11	4
Japan	19	2	6	11
Germany	17	4	8	5
France	16	6	3	6

Here is a link to the overall medal table.