China has come out flying at the start of the Games, taking nine gold medals already and 17 overall. The U.S. has also won 17 but has just five golds.

China has been making history, winning competitions that have usually gone to other countries, and proving their dominance at the Beijing Olympics wasn't simply home-soil advantage.

On the first day of the Olympics, Sun Yang, 20, gave China its first men's swimming gold medal with an Olympic record in the 400-meter freestyle.

Ye Shiwen, 16, also won the gold in the women's 400-meter individual medley and set a new women's world record.

Architect of record, the shooter Yi Siling won the 10 meters air rifle competition with a score of 502.9.

China's Li Xueying set two new Olympic records as she crushed her rivals on the way to claiming gold in the women's -58kg class on Monday.

China has also carried away the diving, dual diving, gymnastic competitions bagging nine gold medals total so far, making second-place U.S look meager in comparison.

France and North Korea are tied for third place in the gold medal count, while Italy, South Korea, Russia and Kazakhstan are tied for fifth place.

As of the end of competition on Day 3, 38 out of the total 302 events scheduled for the Games have been awarded medals.