I don't care which countries get the most medals. It's a false measurement of anything. What I truly enjoy are the small countries that send an athlete who wins any medal at all. You hear an anthem you've never heard before, see a flag you don't recognize, and you just think, 'This must mean a lot to them.' Meanwhile US and other athletes from big nations are arguing about who has the biggest pile of gold medals. It's kind of absurd.
It's also great to see the underdog win sometimes. Someone who wasn't considered to have a chance gets into the medal standings and I find it heartwarming.
It's obvious athletes represent countries, but I see them more as individuals. After all, they put in the work themselves that got them to where they are. It's a lot easier to be a top athlete from a wealthy country so that's another reason why I love it when the medal winners come from the smaller, maybe less affluent countries.
Medals counts don't matter to me, which is why I would make a horrible Olympic athlete. I know how much gold medals mean, but I've always thought that being bronze or silver or just coming in the top 10 would be wonderful. The worst spot in the Olympics has to be fourth place. I'd rather be lower-ranked than fourth. Everyone looks at your score and thinks, 'Oh if only! So close!' and you'll hear that from your friends and family for the rest of your life!