All three Baltic states had a wildly successful Olympic Games, with each country bringing home at least one gold and a handful of other medals.

Per capita, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia won more medals than most of the other participating countries-including the United States and Russia. Lithuania rounded out the Baltic medal winnings, with its Cinderella-story basketball team taking the bronze on the final day of the Games. In another outstanding Baltic performance, Estonia's Erki Nool came from behind to capture the gold in the decathlon, winning the coveted title as the world's finest all-round athlete. One of the most breathtaking performances of the entire Olympics was by Lithuania's basketball team-not in victory but in a memorable defeat. The Lithuanians came within inches of one of the biggest upsets in sports history, losing in the final seconds of a quarter final match to the U.S. Dream Team by just two points. Millions of TV viewers worldwide cheered on the underdog Lithuanians as they took the lead with 40 seconds. After the Americans scored, a three-pointer by the Lithuanians as the buzzer sounded just missed. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia won more medals than many countries ten, twenty or even 100 times larger. Separately, all three Baltic states won more medals than the likes of Brazil, South Africa and India—which, with its 1 billion population, captured just one medal, a bronze. Estonia (pop. 1.4 million) ranked 8th in per capita medals won, securing roughly one medal for every 500,000 residents. Lithuania (pop. 3.7 million) was in 14th place and Latvia in 17th place, winning one medal per 700,000 and 800,000 inhabitants, respectively. The first seven nations in per capital medals won were the Bahamas, Barbados, Iceland, Australia, Jamaica, Cuba and Norway. The United States, with its 97 medals, won the most medals numerically; but in medals won per population, it was in 46th place.