What literary device is used when an author says the US won three gold medals?

This statement doesn't use a specific literary device. It's a simple, factual statement.

To understand why, let's look at some literary devices and why they don't apply here:

* Metaphor: A metaphor compares two unlike things without using "like" or "as."

* Simile: A simile compares two unlike things using "like" or "as."

* Personification: Giving human qualities to inanimate objects or abstract ideas.

* Hyperbole: An exaggeration.

* Understatement: Downplaying the importance of something.

* Symbolism: Using an object or image to represent something else.

The statement "the US won three gold medals" is a straightforward statement of fact. It doesn't use any figurative language or create any symbolic meaning.