CONGRATULATIONS!!! USA women seal record EIGHTH straight Olympics basketball title with LeBron James and Co watching on – as America sweep up male and female golds for fifth consecutive Games | HO

USA has maintained its stranglehold on Olympics basketball after the women’s team joined the men in beating France to claim gold on Sunday.

LeBron James and two of his men’s teammates, proudly boasting their gold medals at Bercy Arena, watched on in the crowd as the likes of A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum inspired their female counterparts to a hard-fought 67-66 final victory over the hosts.

It means America has now swept up gold in men’s and women’s basketball at the Olympics for five consecutive Games, while the latter have claimed a record eight titles on the bounce.

Wilson scored 21 points as the women’s team survived the biggest challenge of an unprecedented run to eight straight Olympic gold medals against France.

No team had been able to push them during an impressive streak of 61 consecutive wins. Only two of those victories had been by single digits before the game against France.

USA has maintained its stranglehold on Olympics basketball after the women’s team joined the men in beating France to claim gold

The eight straight golds broke a tie with the American men’s program that won seven in a row from 1936-68.

Their victory came less than 24 hours after the U.S. men’s team also beat France in the title game. This was the first time in Olympic history that both gold medal games featured the same two teams.

Unlike the men’s game, though, this one came down to the final minute and one last shot by France that was just inside the three-point line.

The Americans were up 67-64 with 3.9 seconds left after Kahleah Copper hit two free throws. Marine Johannes brought the ball up the court to Gabby Williams who caught the ball just inside the 3-point line and banked in over the outstreched arms of Breanna Srewart for the final margin.

There was a brief delay before the officials signaled that it was a two-point shot, which led to the beginning of a celebration and a lot of happy hugs for the Americans and left the French players standing in disbelief as they fell just short.

LeBron James watched on with his own gold medal after the men’s win on Saturday, sitting with daughter Zhuri Nova (right), 9, and teammate Bam Adebayo (left)

A’ja Wilson scored 21 points as the women’s team survived the biggest challenge of an unprecedented run to eight straight Olympic gold medals

Kelsey Plum also helped USA complete a fifth straight double sweep of Olympic golds

No team has ever won eight straight Olympic events, marking history for the women’s team

The eight straight golds also broke a tie with the American men’s program that won seven in a row from 1936-68

Williams, who finished with 19 points, had hit a deep 3 a few seconds earlier to get France within one before Copper’s free throws.

LeBron attended the women’s final with wife Savannah and daughter Zhuri Nova, 9, while his teammates Bam Adebayo and Derrick White were also sat alongside them.

On Saturday night USA’s men’s team was able to hold off France behind 24 points from Steph Curry, as a star-studded group including LeBron and Kevin Durant thwarted a late rally from the hosts.

The Americans led by as much as 14 in the fourth quarter but saw that advantage dwindle to just three after a Victor Wembanyama tip-in with just under three minutes remaining.

From there, Curry caught fire as he hit four three-pointers from the 2:48 mark on to see USA to the gold.

LeBron, Adebayo and Derrick White (third from right) enjoyed the women’s victory on Sunday

Steph Curry couldn’t resist poking fun at France by wearing a brutal ‘Nuit Nuit’ hoodie after the men’s win on Saturday

His final dagger came during a broken play with 35 seconds left, when he heaved in a three-pointer over the arms of Evan Fournier and Nicolas Batum to restore the lead to nine.

There was no way back for France, and Curry knew it as he did his famous ‘night night celebration’ – with the last half-minute proving unclimactic for the USA.

Later on Saturday night, he continued to taunt the host nation by wearing a hoodie featuring the words ‘Nuit Nuit’ – French for ‘Night Night’.

American journalist Rachel Nicols shared a video of Curry wearing the hoodie on Saturday night, and American fans absolutely loved his savage choice of clothing.