The United States won their fourth straight Olympic women's basketball crown on Saturday with a 92-65 triumph over Australia in the Beijing Games final.

It was the Americans' third straight victory over Australia in an Olympic final, and the third straight win by a double-digit margin.

Not even Australia's WNBA trio of Lauren Jackson, Penny Taylor and Erin Phillips could stem the US tide.

Taylor and Phillips had skipped the first half of the US pro season to prepare for the Games, while Jackson left the Seattle Storm two weeks early to train with her teammates.

But the reigning world champions once again came up short against a US side led by Kara Lawson's 15 points. Veteran Lisa Leslie, playing in her last Olympics added 14, as did Candace Parker.

"It has been a blessing for me to be out on this court," Leslie said. "It's my fourth Olympics and my fourth gold.

"I haven't necessarily played great during this tournament. Tonight I got into some foul trouble as did Diana (Taurasi) and Katie (Smith). But we fought hard and we beat Australia."

Russia, the team that shocked the US in the world championship semi-finals in 2006, claimed the bronze medal with a 94-81 victory over China, in which Russia's American import Becky Hammon scored 22 points.

The United States claimed their sixth gold medal in the past seven, having only missed out in Barcelona in 1992 when they took bronze behind the Unified Team.