United States Olympic update: What to know entering Day 11, rest of 2024 Paris Olympics

In the blink of an eye, the 2024 Paris Olympics are already heading towards the finish line with 10 full days of action already in the books.

It's been a tremendous Olympic Games for the United States so far, as they're atop the medal count at 78 and are only behind China (21), with 20 gold medals through this week and a half of athletes from around the world competing at the highest level.

There's been an abundance of storylines for the U.S., whether it's Katie Ledecky breaking records in the pool becoming the most decorated United States woman athlete ever with nine gold medals and 14 in her trophy case and setting world records in the process, track star Noah Lyles becoming the fastest man in the world by winning the closest 100-meter dash race in 44 years (0.005 seconds) and earning his first ever Olympic gold medal and so much more.

Then you have North Jersey native Scottie Scheffler -- the No. 1 ranked golfer in the world -- making a miraculous come-from-behind victory in the final round of Men's Golf by tying a course record and shooting a 62 on Sunday afternoon to win the gold medal.

With Day 10 nearly in the books, here's the medal tracker for the 12 countries with double digit medals, where things stand for the United States and marquee events to look forward to for the U.S. prior to the Closing Ceremony on Sunday night.

2024 Paris Olympics Medal tracker

As mentioned above, the United States has been atop the medal leaderboard a majority of these Olympic Games. However, the one area to keep an eye on has to be the gold medal race, with China currently ahead of the U.S. by one going into the 11th day of the Olympics.

Heading into Tuesday morning on the east coast, the current medal tracker is as follows:

United States: 78 medals (20 gold, 30 silver and 28 bronze)

China: 53 medals (21 gold, 18 silver and 14 bronze)

France: 45 medals (12 gold, 15 silver and 18 bronze)

Great Britain: 42 medals (12 gold, 13 silver and 18 bronze)

Australia: 32 medals (13 gold, 11 silver and eight bronze)

South Korea: 26 medals (11 gold, eight silver and seven bronze)

Japan: 26 medals (10 gold, five silver and 11 bronze)

Italy: 26 medals (nine gold, 10 silver and seven bronze)

Canada: 17 medals (five gold, four silver and eight bronze)

Netherlands: 17 medals (seven gold, six silver and four bronze)

Germany: 16 medals (seven gold, five silver and four bronze)

Brazil: 11 medals (two gold, four silver and five bronze)

Gold medal events to watch going forward for United States

The USA women's gymnastics team wrapped up a very successful trip to the 2024 Paris Olympics with gymnasts Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles taking the silver and bronze medals respectively in the Women's Floor Final on Monday.

While the U.S. still trails China ever so slightly in the gold medal tally, there's plenty of ways the United States can make up ground over the final six days of action.

Here's a list of where the U.S. should and will likely take advantage in the gold medal category in the 2024 Paris Olympics:

Women's Olympic Basketball

Perhaps no fellow team or individual is more favored to win a gold medal in the rest of the 2024 Olympics than the United States Women's Basketball Team (USWBT).

Team USA went undefeated in the group stage (3-0) and won all three contests by double digits to extend their winning streak to an unfathomable 58 games dating back to the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

The group is loaded with talent from top to bottom, with a mix of veterans and young stars that include MVPs such as A'ja Wilson and Diana Taurasi and New York Liberty's own Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu.

Anything but a gold medal for this team would be a complete and utter shock given they've taken home gold every year since 1996.

Men's Olympic Basketball

The second clear and obvious choice is also on the hardwood with the United States men's basketball team.

Led by future Hall of Famers LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, Team USA is the runaway favorite to win gold with one of the best teams ever assembled.

Presuming they get by Brazil as a 26.5-point favorite in the quarterfinal matchup on Tuesday night, they'll face the winner of Serbia or France in the semifinals on Thursday with a spot in the gold medal game on the line.

There's an argument that could be made that the United States toughest test will come in that gold medal match, potentially facing Germany, Canada, host nation France or Greece, all who have top-tier NBA players on their rosters to compete with them.

While an upset could come in the gold medal game on Saturday afternoon, the odds are quite low given this current roster on Team USA and that they've claimed in four straight Olympics and in seven of the last eight Olympic Games dating back to the Dream Team in 1992 (won bronze medal in 2004).

Track and Field

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

With more track and field medals being awarded over the final week, one of the big-time favorites has to be McLaughlin-Levrone.

The New Brunswick, New Jersey native cruised in the first round of the Women's 400-meter hurdles on Sunday with a time of 53.60 seconds, winning by 1.66 seconds over Morocco's Ennadi Noura, who came in at 55.26 seconds.

McLaughlin-Levrone is expected to easily cruise through the Women's 400-meter hurdles Semifinals on Tuesday afternoon and has the best chance of any participant to earn the gold in the Women's 400-meter hurdles Final this coming Thursday.

She also factors in to play a key role in the Women's 4x400-meter Final on Friday where she can earn herself and Team USA another gold medal.

Noah Lyles

Lyles was the talk of the town on Sunday night, winning the aforementioned Men's 100-meter dash and ringing the bell to achieve the first gold medal of his career.

With the 27-year-old track star continuing his hot start to the Olympics by qualifying for the Men's 200-meter Final on Thursday after a win in Round 1 of the Men's 200-meter on Monday, he's the runaway favorite to win his second gold of the 2024 Paris Olympics come August 8 at 2:30 p.m. eastern time.

There's also a chance for a third gold medal, as Lyles is a part of the 4x100-meter Relay team with the Final coming on Friday, August 9 at 1:45 p.m. eastern time.

Sha'Carri Richardson

Richardson fell just short of her first ever gold medal as she earned silver in the Women's 100-meter Final last weekend.

Fortunately for the 24-year-old track icon, she'll have another shot to lead Team USA to gold in the Women's 4x100-meter Relay Final on Friday, August 9 at 1:30 p.m.

If Richardson and Lyles both earn gold in their respective relay events, it could potentially be what pushes the United States over the top for the most gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: United States 2024 Paris Olympics: Medal count, upcoming schedule