2012 Olympics: Nation Power Rankings for Day 7

Day 7 at the 2012 Olympic Games was jam-packed full of exciting action, and Great Britain's athletes had a phenomenal day for the host country.

There were a ton of medals handed out, as the events in the pool have begun to overlap with the track and field disciplines. 

Michael Phelps continued his dominant career with another gold medal—his 17th career gold—and the U.S. athletes continued to haul in medals at an exceptional pace. But, was it enough to push the Americans over the Brits? 

Keep reading to find out. 

10. Belarus

Total Medals: 2

Belarus doubled its total medal count today, earning two medals—one gold and one bronze.

Sergei Martynov put together a masterful performance in the men's 50-meter rifle prone discipline, setting a world record with a score of 105.5. 

In 75 kilogram women's weightlifting, Iryna Kulesha finished well behind Kazakhstan's Svetlana Podobedova and Russia's Natalya Zabolotnaya, but it was good enough to earn the bronze medal. 

Belarus still has a long ways to go to match its medal count from four years ago, when it tallied 19, but today's performances have improved its chances dramatically. 

9. Ethiopia

Total Medals: 1

Ethiopia only earned one medal on Day 7, but Tirunesh Dibaba's performance in the women's 10,000-meter was worthy of earning her country a spot on this list. 

Dibaba won this event back in Beijing. She didn't look to be a factor in this race, though, until the last few laps. She hung around the middle of the pack, conserving her energy.

Then, she put her foot down on the accelerator and blew her competition away, including Kenyan rivals Sally Jepkosgei Kipyego and Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot. Her performance was an absolute masterpiece, and she'll go down as one of the greatest long-distance runners in history.

8. New Zealand

Total Medals: 3

It's safe to say that New Zealanders are good at water sports, especially after today's performances in London. 

They won two gold medals in the rowing competitions. 

Mahe Drysdale blew away the competition in the men's single sculls, winning by about one-and-a-half seconds. 

Eric Murray and Hamish Bond were even better in their men's pair event, winning by about four-and-a-half seconds. 

The men's cycling team earned a bronze medal in the team pursuit to round out a fantastic day for New Zealand.

7. Cuba

Total Medals: 2

Cuba isn't known for being an Olympic powerhouse of a nation, but it showed up in a major way on Day 7, earning two gold medals.

Idalys Ortiz beat Japan's Mika Sugimoto in the gold medal match in women's heavyweight judo. She earned the right to compete for gold after defeating top-seeded Wen Tong of China. 

The second gold of the day comes by way of a pistol.

Leuris Pupo scored a 34 in the men's 25-meter rapid fire pistol competition, equaling the world Record for a final in the process. 

6. Poland

Total Medals: 3

Poland earned two gold medals and one bronze on Day 7, and its gold medals came by way of brute strength. 

Adrian Edward Zielinski won the men's 85 kilogram weightlifting competition in a tiebreaker over Russia's Apti Aukhadov, winning by a margin of one pound in the clean and jerk. 

Tomasz Majewski earned his second-straight gold medal in the men's shot put, beating out Germany's David Storl by a slim margin. He is the first man to ever win consecutive Olympic gold medals in the shot put, according to SI.com's Tim Layden.

5. France

Total Medals: 3

Florent Manaudou is now the fastest man alive in the water. He beat America's Cullen Jones and Brazil's Cesar Cielo in the men's 50-meter freestyle on Day 7, beating both by at least two-tenths-of-a-second. 

Cielo was picked by many to win the event, as he has been the best in the world for the past four-to-five years. 

The 50-meter in swimming is akin to the 100-meter in track and field. Manaudou put on a clinic of speed, and he put the rest of the sprinters to shame in the process.

France also earned another gold, as Teddy Riner came away victorious over Russia's Alexander Mikhaylin in the men's heavyweight judo division. 

Wrapping up their fine day, Germain Chardin and Dorian Mortelette won the silver medal in the men's pair rowing competition. 

4. Russia

Total Medals: 6

Russia had a fine day, but it wasn't able to win a single gold medal. Every one of its six medals were silver, though that's nothing to sneeze at. 

Apti Aukhadov just missed out on earning gold in the men's 85 kilogram weightlifting competition, falling short by one pound in a tiebreaker with Poland's Adrian Edward Zielinski. 

Evgeny Korotyshkin shouldn't feel any shame to have come in second behind legendary swimmer Michael Phelps in the men's 100-meter butterfly. 

All in all, the Russians put together a fantastic day.

3. China

Total Medals: 8

Day 7 was different for China. Out of their eight total medals only two of them were gold. 

That goes against the trend it's been setting so far in these Games, but it was still a huge day for them.

Dong Dong had a phenomenal day in the men's trampoline competition, beating Russia's Dmitry Ushakov by more than a full point to earn the gold. 

The Chinese dominated the badminton competition, earning both the gold and silver medals in mixed doubles. 

Shuang Guo also performed admirably, coming in second behind Great Britain's Victoria Pendleton in the women's keirin cycling discipline.

2. Great Britain

Total Medals: 7

It was another proud day for the host country. The Brits hauled in three gold medals and four bronze medals, capping off a phenomenal three-day run that has vaulted them up into the top four in the total medal count. 

Victoria Pendleton had a fantastic showing in the women's keirin cycling competition, winning the gold medal in dramatic fashion. 

The Brits were once again dominant in the rowing events, earning one gold and two bronzes. 

The men's cycling team added another gold in the team pursuit, beating Australia and New Zealand in the final. 

Only one country remains, and I'm sure you have a good notion as to which country will take the top spot on Day 7.

1. USA

Total Medals: 6

The Americans didn't bring home the most medals on Day 7, but the ones they earned were significant enough to bump them up over Great Britain.

Michael Phelps won another gold today—his 17th career gold and the fourth one for him in 2012. He did so by beating South Africa's Chad le Clos and Russia's Evgeny Korotyshkin by .23 seconds in the 100-meter butterfly. 

15-year-old phenom Katie Ledecky almost broke a world record in the women's 800-meter freestyle, beating the field by over four seconds. Unbelievable. 

Missy Franklin bounced back from a disappointing Day 6 to earn her third gold medal of these Games, winning the 200-meter backstroke in world-record time. 

Oh, by the way, the Americans also earned a silver medal in the men's 50-meter freestyle and a bronze in the women's 200-meter backstroke. 

Finally, U.S. track and field star Reese Hoffa won the bronze medal in the shot put. It was a huge day for Team USA, and it is the top nation so far in these 2012 Summer Games. 

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