A look at the 2008 Olympic medal count adjusted so that gold is 3, silver is 2, and bronze medals count for 1.  The accepted "global" standard points system, adopted by the Brits back in 1908, gives 5 for gold, 3 for silver, and 1 for bronze.  We feel that the 3,2,1 scoring system is more fair, and it also makes this Olympics very close.

Weighting the medal count gives China the overall lead, passing the US.  Japan leaps over Ukraine despite having less overall medals.  Spain, Netherlands, Kenya, and Jamaica all also move above countries that won more overall medals than them.  France, Ukraine, Belarus, Cuba, Canada, and Brazil all had a relatively low percentage of gold medals, and their medal standing dropped in the weighted medal count as a result.