Greatest Olympians of All Time
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Jamaica's Usain Bolt won eight Olympic gold medals.Countless athletes from around the globe have left their mark on the Summer and Winter Olympics since the first modern games in Athens in 1896.
Some performances were a brilliant moment of greatness that personified the Olympic motto of "Swifter, Higher, Stronger." Others displayed astounding longevity that resulted in epic medal hauls spanning multiple Olympiads. The most dominating Olympic champions become legends forever.
These are the greatest Olympians of all time.
60. Takashi Ono
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Country: Japan
Sport: Gymnastics
Events: Team, all-around, horizontal bar, pommel horse, vault, parallel bars, rings
Years: 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964
Medals: 13
Key stats: Bronze medal in vault in 1952. Gold in horizontal bar, silver in all-around, pommel horse and team and bronze in parallel bars in 1956. Gold in team and vault, silver in all-around and bronze in parallel bars and rings in 1960. Gold in team in 1964.
Bottom Line: Takashi Ono
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Takashi Ono’s 13 medals ties him with Soviet great Boris Shakhlin for second all-time among male gymnasts.
Ono is the most decorated Japanese Olympian in history, edging fellow gymnast Sawao Kato, who finished his career with 12 medals.
In 1960, Ono came away with six medals in the eight gymnastics events contested at the Rome Games.
59. Felix Savon
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Country: Cuba
Sport: Boxing
Event: Heavyweight
Years: 1992, 1996, 2000
Medals: 3
Key stats: Gold medals in 1992, 1996 and 2000.
Bottom Line: Felix Savon
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Felix Savon matched his countryman, Teofilo Stevenson, with three heavyweight gold medals in consecutive Olympics.
And just as Stevenson missed out on a possible fourth gold because of Cuba’s boycott of the 1984 Olympics, the country’s boycott in 1988 also cost Savon a chance for an additional gold.
Passing on opportunities to defect to the United States and make millions as a professional, Savon finished his amateur career with a 362-21 record.
58. Aleksandr Medved
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Country: Soviet Union
Sport: Freestyle wrestling
Events: Light heavyweight and super heavyweight
Years: 1964, 1968, 1972
Medals: 3
Key stats: Gold medal in light heavyweight in 1964. Gold in super heavyweight in 1968 and 1972.
Bottom Line: Aleksandr Medved
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Considered by many the greatest freestyle wrestler of all time, Aleksandr Medved (whose name means "bear" in Russian) never lost an Olympic match.
During his career, he won 10 world-level championships, more than any freestyle wrestler in history.
He carried the Soviet flag at the opening ceremonies of the 1972 Games and recited the Officials’ Oath in 1980.
57. Matt Biondi
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Country: United States
Sport: Swimming
Events: 50-meter freestyle, 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 400 free relay, 800 free relay, 400 medley relay.
Years: 1984, 1988, 1992
Medals: 11
Key stats: Gold medal in 400 freestyle relay in 1984. Gold in 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 400 free relay, 400 medley relay and 800 free relay, silver in 100 butterfly and bronze in 200 freestyle in 1988. Gold in 400 free relay and 400 medley relay and silver in 50 freestyle in 1992.
Bottom Line: Matt Biondi
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Matt Biondi never quite lived up to the hype that accompanied him to the 1988 Olympics, when he looked to duplicate Mark Spitz’s seven-gold medal performance from 1972.
He ultimately finished with five golds, one silver and one bronze that year, and finished his Olympic career with 11 medals, eight of them gold.
56. Georg Hackl
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Country: Germany
Sport: Luge
Event: Singles
Years: 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2002
Medals: 5
Key stats: Gold medals in 1992, 1994 and 1998. Silver in 1988 and 2002.
Bottom Line: Georg Hackl
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Georg Hackl finished first or second in singles luge in five consecutive Olympics from 1988 to 2002, winning three consecutive golds along the way.
In 1998, he became only the sixth person in Winter Olympics history, and first luger, to win the same event three times.
He also was the first Olympian to win at least one medal in five consecutive Olympiads.
55. Krisztina Egerszegi
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Country: Hungary
Sport: Swimming
Events: 100-meter backstroke, 200 backstroke, 400 medley
Years: 1988, 1992, 1996
Medals: 7
Key stats: Gold medal in 200 backstroke and silver in backstroke in 1988. Gold in 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke and 400 medley in 1992. Gold in 200 backstroke and bronze in 400 medley in 1996.
Bottom Line: Krisztina Egerszegi
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The Hungarian great is one of only three athletes ever to swim the same swimming event at three consecutive Olympics (Dawn Fraser and Michael Phelps are the others).
Krisztina Egerszegi is also the only female swimmer to win five individual Olympic titles. Her margin of victory (4.15 seconds) in the 1996 200 backstroke final was the largest in the history of the event.
She held the world record in the 200 backstroke for nearly 17 years.
54. Edoardo Mangiarotti
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Country: Italy
Sport: Fencing
Events: Team epee, individual epee, team foil, individual foil,
Years: 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960
Medals: 13
Key stats: Gold medal in team epee in 1936. Silver in team foil and team epee and bronze in individual epee in 1948. Gold in individual epee and team epee and silver in individual foil and team foil in 1952. Gold in team epee and individual epee and bronze in individual epee in 1956. Gold in team epee and silver in team foil in 1960.
Bottom Line: Edoardo Mangiarotti
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Edoardo Mangiarotti won more Olympic medals (13) than any fencer in history, and his total undoubtedly would have been higher if not for the cancellation of the 1940 and 1944 Games because of World War II.
Mangiarotti won his lone individual Olympic gold in the epee event in 1952, with his brother Dario taking the silver.
When Edoardo won his 13th medal in 1960, he became at the time the most decorated Olympian in history.
53. Jin Jong-oh
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Country: South Korea
Sport: Shooting
Events: 50-meter pistol, 10-meter air pistol
Years: 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016
Medals: 6
Key stats: Silver medal in 50m pistol in 2004. Gold in 50m pistol and silver in 10m air pistol in 2008. Gold in 50m pistol and 10m air pistol in 2012. Gold in 50m pistol in 2016. At the 2016 Olympics, he stormed back from seventh place in the final round to win his fourth consecutive gold in 50m pistol.
Bottom Line: Jin Jong-oh
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Jong-oh is the only four-time individual gold medalist in Olympic shooting, and the only athlete to win the same shooting event three consecutive times (50m pistol).
He is the world record holder in both the 50m and 10m air pistol events.
52. Claudia Pechstein
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Country: Germany
Sport: Speed skating
Events: 3,000 meters, 5,000, team pursuit
Years: 1992, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006
Medals: 9
Key stats: Bronze medal in 5,000 in 1992. Gold in 5,000 and bronze in 3,000 in 1994. Gold in 5,000 and silver and 3,000 in 1998. Gold in 3,000 and 5,000 in 2002. Gold in team pursuit and silver in 5,000 in 2006.
Bottom Line: Claudia Pechstein
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The most decorated German Winter Olympian of all time, Claudia Pechstein is one of the few athletes in history to win the same event in three consecutive Olympiads, accomplishing the feat in the 5,000 in 1994, 1998 and 2002.
Her nine total speed skating medals are tied with Sven Kramer of the Netherlands for second all-time behind Ireen Wust of the Netherlands.
51. Ashton Eaton
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Country: United States
Sport: Track and field
Event: Decathlon
Years: 2012, 2016
Medals: 2
Key stats: Won gold medals in decathlon in 2012 and 2016.
Bottom Line: Ashton Eaton
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Ashton Eaton became only the third decathlete in history to repeat as Olympic champion at the 2016 Games, following Bob Mathias and Daley Thompson.
The second athlete ever to break the 9,000-point barrier in the event, Eaton tied the Olympic record of 8,893 points in 2016.
His world record was broken by Kevin Mayer of France in 2018.
50. Viktor Chukarin
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Country: Soviet Union
Sport: Gymnastics
Events: Team, all-around, pommel horse, vault, parallel bars, rings, floor
Years: 1952, 1956
Medals: 11
Key stats: Gold medals in team, all-round, pommel horse and vault and silver in rings and parallel bars in 1952. Gold in team, all-around and parallel bars, silver in floor exercise and bronze in pommel horse in 1956. .
Bottom Line: Viktor Chukarin
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The most decorated athlete at the 1952 Olympics, Viktor Chukarin won 11 medals over two Olympiads. His medal haul likely would have been higher had his Olympic career not begun at the age of 30.
1952 was the Olympics debut for the Soviet Union, and Chukarin’s Olympic fame, after being wounded in World War II and surviving 17 prison camps, served as one of the most unlikely and compelling success stories in the history of the games.
49. Saori Yoshida
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Country: Japan
Sport: Freestyle wrestling
Events: 53kg, 55kg
Years: 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016
Medals: 4
Key stats: Gold medals in 55kg in 2004, 2008 and 2012. Silver in 53kg in 2016.
Bottom Line: Saori Yoshida
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Saori Yoshida is the most decorated freestyle wrestler in history.
She won 89 consecutive matches in Olympics, World Championships and Asian Games competitions before losing 4-1 to the United States' Helen Maroulis at the 2016 Olympic final in the 53kg competition.
In 2007, Yoshida became the first woman named Japanese Athlete of the Year.
48. Gert Fredriksson
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Country: Sweden
Sport: Kayaking
Events: K-1 1,000 and K-1 10,000; K-2 1,000
Years: 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960
Medals: 8
Key stats: Gold medals in K-1 1,000 in 1948, 1952 and 1956. Bronze in 1960. Gold in K-1 10,000 in 1948 and 1956. Silver in 1952. Gold in K-2 1,000 in 1960.
Bottom Line: Gert Fredriksson
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Gert Freriksson is the most decorated Olympic Swede of all time and is considered by many the greatest male canoeist ever.
His winning margin of 50.47:7 in the 1948 K-1 10,000 race remains the greatest margin of victory in the history of the event. And he is the only athlete to win three consecutive Olympic golds in the K-1 1,000 race.
He went on to train the Swedish kayak team at the 1968 Games.
47. Bonnie Blair
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Country: United States
Sport: Speed skating
Events: 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters
Years: 1988, 1992, 1994
Medals: 6
Key stats: Gold medals in 500 meters in 1988, 1992 and 1994. Gold in 1,000 in 1992 and 1994. Bronze in 1,000 in 1988.
Bottom Line: Bonnie Blair
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One of the greatest speed skaters of all time, Bonnie Blair became the first American woman to win five Olympic gold medals and the first American Winter Olympian to take home six medals.
She saved perhaps her best Olympic performance for last, winning the 1,000 in Lillehammer in 1994 by 1.38 seconds, the largest margin of victory in the history of the event.
46. Alexander Popov
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Country: Unified Team/Russia
Sport: Swimming
Events: 50-meter freestyle, 100 freestyle, 400 free relay, 400 medley relay
Years: 1992, 1996, 2000
Medals: 9
Key stats: Gold medals in 50 and 100 freestyle and silver in 400 freestyle relay and 400 medley relay in 1992. Gold medals in 50 and 100 freestyle and silver in 400 freestyle and 400 medley relay in 1996. Silver medal in 100 freestyle in 2000.
Bottom Line: Alexander Popov
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Considered the greatest Olympic sprint swimmer in history, Alexander Popov is the only man ever to repeat as Olympic champion in the 50 and 100 freestyle.
He held the world record in the 50 for eight years and the world mark in the 100 for six years.
After suffering a knife attack following the Atlanta Games in 1996 that required emergency surgery, Popov came back in 200 to win his final Olympic medal, a silver in the 100 free.
45. Theodora Elisabeth Gerarda "Anky" van Grunsven
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Country: Netherlands
Sport: Equestrian
Events: Individual and team dressage
Years: 1992, 1996, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016
Medals: 9
Key stats: Silver medal in team dressage in 1992. Silver in individual and team dressage in 1996. Gold in individual dressage and silver in team dressage in 2000. Gold in individual dressage in 2004. Gold in individual dressage and silver in team dressage in 2008; bronze in team dressage in 2012.
Bottom Line: Theodora Elisabeth Gerarda "Anky" van Grunsven
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Anky van Grunsven is the only rider to win the Olympic title in the same event three times, accomplishing the feat in individual dressage in 2000, 2004 and 2008.
She competed in every Olympics from 1988 to 2012, and her nine Olympic medals are the most ever by an equestrian athlete.
44. Lyubov Yegorova
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Country: Unified Team/Russia
Sport: Cross country skiing
Events: 10km pursuit, 5km classical, 15km classical, 15km freestyle, 30km freestyle, 20km relay
Years: 1992, 1994
Key stats: Gold medals in 10km pursuit, 5km classical and 20km relay and silver in 5km classical and 30km freestyle in 1992; gold in 5km classical, 10km pursuit and 20km relay and silver in 15km freestyle in 1994.
Bottom Line: Lyubov Yegorova
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The most decorated athlete at both the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics, Lyubov Yegorova finished her Olympics career with nine medals, six of them gold. She medaled in nine of the 10 cross country events contested over those two Olympiads.
Yegorova ranks second all-time among women behind Norway’s Marit Bjorgen in cross country Olympic titles.
43. Bob Mathias
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Country: United States
Sport: Track and field
Event: Decathlon
Years: 1948, 1952
Medals: 2
Key stats: Won gold medals in 1948 and 1952
Bottom Line: Bob Mathias
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Bob Mathias is one of only three athletes ever to repeat as Olympic champion in the decathlon, along with Daley Thompson of Great Britain and fellow American Ashton Eaton.
At age 17 in 1948, Mathias became the youngest track and field gold medalist ever when he edged France’s Ignace Heinrich for the decathlon title, after nearly fouling out in the shot put and high jump.
Mathias defended his title four years later, winning the event by an incredible 912 points.
42. Boris Shakhlin
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Country: Soviet Union
Sport: Gymnastics
Events: Team, all-around, pommel horse, vault, parallel bar, rings
Years: 1956, 1960, 1964
Key stats: Gold medals in team and pommel horse in 1956. Gold in all-around, pommel horse, vault and parallel bars and bronze in horizontal bar in 1960. Gold in horizontal bar, silver in all-around and team and bronze in rings in 1964.
Bottom Line: Boris Shakhlin
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The most decorated athlete at the 1960 Summer Games, Boris Shakhlin held the record for most Olympic medals by a male athlete before being eclipsed by countryman Nikolai Andrianov in 1980.
He still holds the record for most individual gymnastics gold medals by a male with seven.
His 13 total Olympic medals ties him with three others for fifth all time.
41. Bradley Wiggins
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Country: Great Britain
Sport: Cycling
Events: Time trial, individual and team pursuit, Madison
Years: 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016
Medals: 8
Key stats: Bronze medal in team pursuit in 2000. Gold in individual pursuit, silver in team pursuit and bronze in Madison in 2004. Gold in team pursuit and individual pursuit in 2008. Gold in time trial in 2012. Gold in team pursuit in 2016.
Bottom Line: Bradley Wiggins
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Bradley Wiggins is the only cyclist to win Olympics and World Championships titles in both road and track events.
In 2004, he became the first British athlete in 40 years to win three medals at the same Olympiad.
In 2008, he became the first cyclist to win back-to-back Olympic golds in the individual pursuit.
And in 2012, he became the first Brit to win titles at the Tour de France and Olympics time trial road race.
40. Elisabeta Lipa
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Country: Romania
Sport: Rowing
Events: Single sculls, double sculls, quadruple sculls, eight
Years: 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004
Medals: 8
Key stats: Gold medal in double skulls in 1984. Silver medal in double sculls and bronze medal in quadruple sculls in 1988. Gold in single skulls and silver in double skulls in 1992. Gold in eight in 1996, 2000 and 2004.
Bottom Line: Elisabeta Lipa
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Elisabeta Lipa is the most decorated rower in Olympics history, with five gold and eight total medals.
She also holds the record for most years between rowing gold medals, at 20.
In 2004, Lipa became the first female rower to compete at six Olympiads, and the first woman to win gold medals at five Olympiads.
39. Vera Caslavska
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Country: Czechoslovakia
Sport: Gymnastics
Events: Team, all-around, vault, balance beam, uneven bars, floor
Years: 1960, 1964, 1968
Medals: 11
Key stats: Silver medal in team in 1960. Gold in all-around, vault and balance beam and silver in team in 1964. Gold in all-around, uneven bars, vault and floor and silver in team and balance beam in 1968.
Bottom Line: Vera Caslavska
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Along with the Soviet Union’s Larisa Latynina, Vera Caslavska is one of only two female gymnasts to win consecutive Olympic all-around titles.
She became a heroine of the 1968 Olympics, where she won four gold medals, because of her forceful stand against the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia earlier that year. Forced to flee her training facility in Prague during the invasion, she trained for the games by swinging from tree limbs and practicing her floor exercise in a meadow.
While the 1968 Games are largely remembered for the national anthem black power protest by Americans John Carlos and Tommie Smith, Caslavaksa made a political statement of her own during the medal ceremony for the floor exercise competition, where she shared the gold with the Soviet Union’s Larissa Petrik, bowing her head and turning away during the playing of the Soviet national anthem.
38. Aladar Gerevich
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Country: Hungary
Sport: Fencing
Events: Sabre team, sabre individual, team foil
Years: 1932, 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960
Medals: 10
Key stats: Gold medal in sabre team in 1932. Gold in sabre team and bronze in sabre individual in 1936. Gold in sabre individual in 1948. Gold in sabre team, silver in sabre individual and bronze in foil team in 1952. Gold in sabre team in 1956. Gold in sabre team in 1960.
Bottom Line: Aladar Gerevich
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Considered by many the greatest Olympic swordsman ever, Aladar Gerevich is the only Olympian ever to win the same event (team sabre) six times, the last coming at age 50 in 1960. The feat is all the more remarkable when you consider that two Olympiads during his career were canceled by World War II.
His gold medals came an unprecedented 28 years apart. Gerevich’s only individual gold came in 1948, when he scored 19 victories against only one defeat.
37. Vitaly Scherbo
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Country: Unified Team/Belarus
Sport: Gymnastics
Events: Team, all-around, vault, pommel horse, parallel bars, horizontal bar, floor exercise, rings
Years: 1992, 1996
Medals: 10
Key stats: Gold medals in team, all-around, pommel horse, rings, vault and parallel bars in 1992. Bronze in all-around, vault, parallel bars and horizontal bar in 1996.
Bottom Line: Vitaly Scherbo
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Vitaly Scherbo was the most decorated athlete at the 1992 Summer Games, winning six of the eight gymnastics events contested.
He became the first Olympian to ever win four gold medals on the same day and the first gymnast to win six golds in one edition of the games.
Representing Belarus, he followed up with four bronze medals four years later, a performance that was marred by a shoulder injury and a near-fatal traffic accident involving his wife earlier in the year.
36. Ben Ainslie
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Country: Great Britain
Sport: Sailing
Events: Finn, Laser
Years: 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012
Medals: 5
Key stats: Silver medal in Laser class in 1996. Gold in Laser in 2000. Gold in Finn in 2004, 2008 and 2012.
Bottom Line: Ben Ainslie
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The second sailor after Paul Elvstrom to win four gold medals in sailing, Ben Ainslie is also one of only three sailors in Olympic history to win medals in five different Olympic Games.
In 2012, he became the first person to carry the Olympic torch in the United Kingdom in preparation for the London Games, and he carried the flag for Great Britain at the closing ceremonies.
He is also an eight-time sailing world champion.
35. Kerri Jennings Walsh/Misty May-Trainor
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Country: United States
Sport: Beach volleyball
Event: Women’s beach volleyball
Years: 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016
Medals: 3
Key stats: Gold medals in 2004, 2008 and 2012
Bottom Line: Kerri Jennings Walsh/Misty May-Trainor
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Clearly, the greatest beach volleyball tandem in history, Kerri Jennings Walsh and Misty May-Trainor dominated the event over three consecutive Olympiads.
They did not drop a set during the 2004 and 2008 Olympics and eventually ran their winning streak to 32 sets before finally dropping one in 2012.
In 2016, Walsh Jennings partnered with April Ross to add a bronze medal at the Rio de Janeiro Games.
34. Nikolai Andrianov
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Country: Soviet Union
Sport: Gymnastics
Events: Team, all-around, floor, vault, rings, parallel bars, pommel horse
Years: 1972, 1976, 1980
Medals: 15
Key stats: Gold medal in floor exercise, silver in team and bronze in vault in 1972. Gold in all-around, floor exercise, rings and vault, silver in team competition and parallel bars and bronze in pommel horse in 1976. Gold in team competition and vault, silver in all-around and floor exercise and bronze in horizontal bar in 1980.
Bottom Line: Nikolai Andrianov
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The Soviet star held the record for most Olympic medals by a male at 15 before Michael Phelps surpassed him in 2008.
Nikolai Andrianov, who currently ranks third overall in all-time medal count (behind Phelps and Larisa Latynina), was the most decorated athlete at the 1976 Summer Olympics with seven medals (six individual and one team).
Andrianov also holds the men’s record for most individual Olympic gymnastics medals at 12.
33. Ireen Wust
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Country: Netherlands
Sport: Speed skating
Events: 1,000 meters, 1,500, 3,000, 5,000, team pursuit
Years: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018
Medals: 11
Key stats: Gold medal in 3,000 meters and bronze in 1,500 in 2006. Gold in 1,500 in 2010. Gold in 3,000 and team pursuit and silver in 1,000, 1,500 and 5,000 in 2014. Gold in 1,500 and silver in 3,000 and team pursuit in 2018.
Bottom Line: Ireen Wust
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Ireen Wust has won more Olympic medals (11) than any other speed skater, and is the most decorated Dutch Olympian ever.
She became the youngest Dutch Winter Olympics champion in 2006 when she won her first gold at the age of 19.
Wust was the most decorated athlete at the 2014 Sochi Games and was named Sportswoman of the World that year by Reuters.
32. Bjorn Daehlie
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Country: Norway
Sport: Cross country skiing
Events: 10km + 15km combined pursuit, 50k freestyle, 40km relay, 10km classical, 30km classical, 30km freestyle
Years: 1992, 1994, 1998
Medals: 12
Key stats: Gold medal in 10km + 15km combined pursuit, 50km freestyle and 40km relay and silver in 30km classical in 1992. Gold in 10km classical and 10km + 15km combined pursuit and silver in 30km freestyle and 40km relay in 1994. Gsold in 10km classical, 50km freestyle and 40km relay and silver in 10km + 15km combined pursuit in 1998.
Bottom Line: Bjorn Daehlie
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Bjorn Daehlie is tied with fellow Norwegians Marit Bjorgen and Ole Einar Bjorndalen for most career titles among Winter Olympians and ranks third all-time in Winter Olympics medals behind the two with 12.
Daehlie is considered by many the greatest male cross country skier in history. In his final Olympic victory, Daehlie crossed the finish line of the 50km freestyle at the 1998 Games 8.1 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor, collapsing at the end of the race and unable to stand again for five minutes.
31. Sawao Kato
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Country: Japan
Events: Team, all-around, floor, parallel bars, pommel horse, horizontal bar, rings
Sport: Gymnastics
Years: 1968, 1972, 1976
Medals: 12
Key stats: Won gold medals in team, all-around and floor exercise and bronze in rings in 1968. Won gold in team, all-around and parallel bars and silver in pommel horse and horizontal bar in 1972. Won gold in team and parallel bars and silver in all-around in 1976.
Bottom Line: Sawao Kato
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Sawao Kato is among the greatest gymnasts in history and one of only 10 athletes in history to win eight or more Olympic gold medals. He also has won more Olympic golds than any Japanese athlete ever.
In 1972, he became only the third gymnast ever to win back-to-back golds in the all-around, leading a Japanese sweep of the event.
30. Teófilo Stevenson
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Country: Cuba
Sport: Boxing
Event: Heavyweight division
Years: 1972, 1976, 1980
Medals: 3
Key stats: Gold medals in 1972, 1976 and 1980.
Bottom Line: Teófilo Stevenson
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Teófilo Stevenson is one of only three boxers to win three Olympic gold medals (along with countryman Felix Savon and Hungarian Laszlo Papp). If not for the Cuban boycotts of the 1984 and 1988 games, he potentially could have won as many as five golds.
His most memorable Olympic fight came in the 1972 quarterfinals against American Duane Bobick, who had beaten him previously. The bout was even going into the final round, but Stevenson knocked down Bobick three times, and the contest was stopped.
29. Sonja Henie
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Country: Norway
Sport: Figure skating
Event: Ladies singles
Years: 1928, 1932, 1936
Medals: 3
Key stats: Won three consecutive gold medals in the ladies' competition.
Bottom Line: Sonja Henie
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Before becoming a Hollywood star, Sonja Henie established herself as one of the most decorated figure skaters in history.
Nicknamed the "Pavlova of the Ice," Henie made her Olympic debut at age 11 in 1924, placing eighth, before dominating the event at the next three Olympiads.
She ended up winning three Olympic gold medals and was a 10-time world champion.
28. Jean-Claude Killy
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Country: France
Sport: Alpine skiing
Events: Downhill, slalom, giant slalom
Year: 1968
Medals: 3
Key stats: Won gold medals in slalom, giant slalom and downhill at the 1968 Winter Olympics.
Bottom Line: Jean-Claude Killy
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After failing to medal at the 1964 Olympics, Jean-Claude Killy swept all three alpine events and was the most decorated athlete at the 1968 Games.
His triple crown feat didn’t come without controversy, however. Austria’s Karl Schranz recorded the fastest time in the slalom, but officials disqualified him after reviewing television footage and ruling that he had missed a gate.
27. Pat McCormick
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Country: United States
Sport: Diving
Events: Springboard and platform
Years: 1952, 1956
Medals: 4
Key stats: Swept the gold medals in springboard and platform at the 1952 and 1956 Olympics.
Bottom Line: Pat McCormick
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Pat McCormick was the first Olympic diver to sweep the springboard and platform events at consecutive Olympics, a feat matched only by Greg Louganis.
Remarkably, her second gold medal double in 1956 came only five months after she gave birth.
She won the James E. Sullivan award as the nation’s top amateur athlete in 1956.
26. Birgit Fischer
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Country: Germany
Sport: Kayaking
Event: K-1, K-2 and K-4 500-meter sprint
Years: 1980, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004
Medals: 12
Key stats: Gold medal in K-150 meter in 1980. Gold in K-2 500m and K-4 500m in 1988. Gold in K-1 500m in 1992. Gold in K-4 500m in 1996. Gold in K-2 500m and K-4 500m in 2000. Gold in K-4 500m in 2004. Silver medal in K-1 500m in 1988. Silver K-4 500m in 1992. Silver in K-2 500m in 1996. Silver in K-2 500m in 2004.
Bottom Line: Birgit Fischer
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The most decorated kayaker in Olympic history, Birgit Fischer won eight gold medals, and 12 total, in six Olympiads spanning nearly a quarter-century. She was the youngest-ever Olympic canoeing champion at age 18 and the oldest at age 42.
Fischer is also the most successful German Olympian of all time and ranks second behind gymnast Larisa Semyonovna Latynina as the most decorated female Summer Olympian in history.
25. Matti Nykanen
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Country: Finland
Sport: Ski jumping
Events: Normal hill and large hill
Years: 1984, 1988
Medals: 5
Key stats: Gold medal in individual large hill and silver in individual normal hill in 1984. Gold medals in individual large hill, individual normal hill and team event in 1988.
Bottom Line: Matti Nykanen
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Arguably the greatest ski jumper of all time, Matti Nykänen became the first jumper to win golds on both hills at the 1988 Olympic Games.
He also won the team event that year for a clean sweep of the ski jumping competition and was the most decorated athlete of the Calgary Games along with Dutch speed skater Yvonne van Gennip.
24. Ole Einar Bjoerndalen
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Country: Norway
Sport: Biathlon
Events: 10km sprint, 20km individual, 12.5km pursuit, 4x7.5km relay, mixed relay, 15k mass start
Years: 1998, 2002, 2006
Medals: 13
Key stats: Gold medal in 10-kilometer sprint in 1998. Gold in 20km individual, 10km sprint, 12.5km pursuit and 4x7.5km relay in 2002. Gold in 4x7.5km relay in 2010. Gold in 10km sprint and mixed relay in 2014. Silver in 4x7.5km relay in 1998. Silver in 20km individual and 12.5km pursuit in 2006. Silver in 20km individual in 2010. Bronze in 15km mass start in 2006.
Bottom Line: Ole Einar Bjoerndalen
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Known as the "King of Biathlon" and "The Cannibal," Ole Einar Bjoerndalen ranks second all-time in medals among Winter Olympians with 13.
He is the only biathlete ever to sweep all four biathlon events at a single Olympics, a feat he accomplished at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City, where he was the most decorated athlete.
23. Greg Louganis
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Country: United States
Sport: Diving
Events: Springboard and platform
Years: 1984, 1988
Medals: 5
Key stats: Swept the gold medals in the springboard and platform events in both 1984 and 1988. Also won a silver in platform as a 16-year-old in 1976.
Bottom Line: Greg Louganis
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Considered by many to be the greatest diver ever, Greg Louganis is the only male to sweep the diving events in consecutive Olympics. He likely would have done so in three consecutive Olympics if not for the United States’ boycott of the 1980 Games in Moscow.
In the 1988 springboard event, he rebounded from a concussion suffered when he hit his head on the springboard and went on to win the gold by 25 points.
22. Kjetil Andre Aamodt
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Country: Norway
Sport: Alpine skiing
Events: Downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom, combined
Years: 1992, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006
Medals: 8
Key stats: Gold medals in super-G in 1992, 2002, 2006. Gold medal in combined in 2002. Silver in downhill and combined in 1994. Bronze in giant slalom in 1992 and super-G in 1994.
Bottom Line: Kjetil Andre Aamodt
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The most decorated alpine skier in Olympic history, Kjetil Andre Aamodt is the only person to win four gold medals and eight total on the slopes.
Perhaps most impressive was his incredible endurance, winning his first and final Olympic titles 14 years apart.
He was the second-youngest male alpine skier to win an Olympic gold, capturing his first at age 20.
21. Aleksandr Karelin
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Country: Soviet Union/Russia/Unified Team
Sport: Greco-Roman Wrestling
Events: 130 kg
Years: 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000
Medals: 4
Key stats: Gold medals in 1988, 1992 and 1996. Silver medal in 2000.
Bottom Line: Aleksandr Karelin
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Widely regarded as the greatest Greco-Roman wrestler ever, Aleksandr Karelin finished his career with an incredible 887 wins and only two losses and was undefeated over 13 years.
Nicknamed the "Russian Bear," "Russian King Kong," "Aleksandr the Great," and "The Experiment," Karelin sought a fourth consecutive gold in 2000, but his quest was thwarted with a 1-0 upset loss to the United States’ Rulon Gardner in the final.
20. Naim Suleymanoglu
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Country: Turkey
Sport: Weightlifting
Events: 60 and 64 kilograms
Years: 1988, 1992, 1996
Medals: 3
Key stats: Gold medals in 60kg events in 1988 and 1992 and gold medal in 64kg event in 1996.
Bottom Line: Naim Suleymanoglu
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Nicknamed "The Pocket Hercules," the 4-foot-10 Turk was awarded The Olympic Order in 2001 in honor of his Olympic feats over three Olympiads.
Naim Suleymanoglu lifted 3.16 times his body weight in the clean and jerk at the 1988 Olympics and was the first weightlifter to claim gold medals at three consecutive Olympiads.
He finished his career with an incredible 46 world records.
19. Al Oerter
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Country: United States
Sport: Track and field
Event: Discus
Years: 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968
Medals: 4
Key stats: Won gold medals in four consecutive Olympics.
Bottom Line: Al Oerter
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Al Oerter was the first athlete to win gold medals in the same event in four consecutive Olympic Games, dominating the discus for more than a decade.
He came back from a car crash in 1957 that nearly took his life to win his second gold in 1960 with an Olympic record throw.
In 1964, he fought through pain from a neck injury and torn cartilage in his ribs to win his third consecutive title with another Olympic record.
At age 32, he claimed his unprecedented fourth straight title, again bettering his own Olympic record.
18. Laszlo Papp
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Country: Hungary
Sport: Boxing
Events: Middleweight and light middleweight
Years: 1948, 1952, 1956
Medals: 3
Key stats: Middleweight gold medal in 1948 and light middleweight gold in 1952 and 1956.
Bottom Line: Laszlo Papp
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The first boxer to win gold medals in three consecutive Olympics, Laszlo Papp won 12 of his 13 Olympic bouts without losing a round.
In the 1956 Olympic final, he defeated future world pro champion Jose Torres of the United States.
During his amateur career, he compiled a record of 301-6-12 with an astounding 55 first-round knockouts.
17. Bob Beamon
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Country: United States
Sport: Track and field
Event: Long jump
Year: 1968
Medals: 1
Key stats: Won gold medal in long jump in 1968 with a world record leap of 29 feet, 2.5 inches that stood for 23 years.
Bottom Line: Bob Beamon
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Bob Beamon produced one of the most dominant and memorable individual performances in Olympic history when he shattered the world record in the long jump by an astounding 21.75 inches.
His Mexico City jump became one of the most iconic records in the history of sports and wasn’t broken until 1991, when Mike Powell bettered it by 2 inches. The term "Beamonesque" entered the sports lexicon to describe spectacular individual feats.
Although Beamon won only one medal in one Olympics, the sheer enormity of his feat ranks him among the most dominant athletes in Olympic history.
16. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean
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Country: Great Britain
Sport: Figure skating
Event: Ice dancing
Year: 1984, 1994
Medals: 2
Key stats: Gold medal in 1984, bronze medal in 1994.
Bottom Line: Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean
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Like Bob Beamon’s Mexico City long jump, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean’s performance in Sarajevo in 1984 ranks among the most iconic and dominant singular Olympic feats in the history of the games.
They earned the highest scores in figure skating history with their magical performance to "Bolero," earning 12 perfect scores. The maximum marks they received for artistic impression that day have never been repeated in the Olympics.
After turning professional following the 1984 Games, they made an Olympic comeback 10 years later, winning bronze in Lillehammer.
15. Gillis Grafstrom
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Country: Sweden
Sport: Figure skating
Event: Men’s singles
Years: 1920, 1924, 1928,1932
Medals: 4
Key stats: Won gold medals in 1920, 1924 and 1928. Won silver medal in 1932.
Bottom Line: Gillis Grafstrom
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The only male to win three consecutive figure skating gold medals, Gillis Grafstrom is the most decorated Olympian skater in the history of the sport.
His attempt for a fourth consecutive gold in 1932 was derailed when he collided with a photographer on the ice, but he still managed to capture the silver at age 38.
He also was known as one of the sport’s great innovators, pioneering the spiral, change sit spin and flying sit spin.
14. Valentina Vezzali
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Country: Italy
Sport: Fencing
Event: Foil
Years: 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012
Medals: 9
Key stats: Gold medal in foil team in 1996. Gold medals in foil individual and foil team in 2000. Gold medal in foil individual in 2004. Gold in foil individual in 2008. Gold in foil individual in 2012. Silver medal in foil individual in 1996. Bronze in foil team in 2008. Bronze in foil individual in 2012.
Bottom Line: Valentina Vezzali
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Nicknamed "Cobra," Valentina Vezzali is one of only four athletes in Summer Olympics history to win five medals in the same individual event.
She also is the first fencer to win three individual foil titles in consecutive Olympics (2000, 2004, 2008) and the first woman to win five gold medals in fencing.
After her athletic career, she was elected to the Italian Parliament.
13. Florence Griffith-Joyner
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Country: United States
Sport: Track and field
Event: 100 meters, 200 meters, 400-meter relay
Year: 1984, 1988
Medals: 5
Key stats: Gold medals in 100, 200 and 400 relay in 1988. Silver medal in 200 in 1984. Silver in 800 relay in 1988.
Bottom Line: Florence Griffith-Joyner
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Considered the fastest woman of all time, Flo-Jo dominated the sprint events at the 1988 Games in Seoul while drawing an international following for her colorful fashion choices, including wearing jewelry while racing and sporting 6-inch-long nails painted red, white and blue.
She won the 100 by three-tenths of a second, falling just short of the world record she set at the Olympic trials, and set world records in the semifinals and finals of the 200. Her world records in the 100 and 200 still stand more than 30 years later.
She died suddenly at age 38 in 1998 after suffering an epileptic seizure.
12. Larisa Latynina
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Country: Soviet Union
Sport: Gymnastics
Events: Team, all-around, vault, floor exercise, balance beam
Years: 1956. 1960, 1964
Medals: 18
Key stats: Gold medals in team, all-around, vault and floor exercise 1956. Gold in team, all-around and vault in 1960. Gold in team and floor exercise in 1964. Silver in uneven bars in 1956. Silver in uneven bars and balance beam in 1960. Silver in all-around and vault in 1964. Bronze in team, apparatus, in 1956. Bronze in vault in 1960. Bronze in uneven bars and balance beam in 1964.
Bottom Line: Larisa Latynina
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Larisa Latynina held the record for most total Olympic medals (18) for 48 years and is the most decorated gymnast in Olympics history.
The only gymnast ever to win nine Olympic titles, Latynina was perhaps most responsible for turning the Soviet Union into a gymnastics powerhouse.
She also was the first female athlete to win nine Olympic gold medals in any sport.
11. Eric Heiden
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Country: United States
Sport: Speedskating
Events: 500, 1,000, 1,500, 3,000, 5,000 and 10,000-meter races
Year: 1980
Medals: 5
Key stats: Gold medals in all five events in 1980.
Bottom Line: Eric Heiden
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Eric Heiden’s five golds at the 1980 Olympics were more than every nation that competed in the games that year other than the Soviet Union and East Germany. He set five Olympic records, including one world record, during his medal haul that year.
He remains the most decorated athlete from a single Winter Olympics in history and is the only athlete to sweep all five long track events at one Olympiad.
10. Mark Spitz
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Country: United States
Sport: Swimming
Events: 100 and 200-meter freestyle, 100 and 200-meter butterfly, 400 and 800-meter freestyle relay, 400-meter medley relay.
Years: 1968, 1972
Key stats: Gold medals in 400 and 800-meter freestyle relays in 1968. Gold medals in 100 and 200 freestyle, 100 and 200 butterfly, 400 and 800 freestyle relay and 400 medley relay in 1972. Silver medal in 100 butterfly in 1968. Bronze in 100 freestyle in 1968.
Bottom Line: Mark Spitz
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The most accomplished Olympic swimmer before Michael Phelps came along, Mark Spitz is a nine-time Olympic champion.
Spitz won all seven of his races at the 1972 Games in world record time, and his seven swimming gold medals at Munich remained a record for 36 years before being broken by Phelps in 2008.
Between 1968 and 1972, Spitz set 35 world records and is one of five Olympians to win nine or more career medals.
9. Jesse Owens
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Country: United States
Sport: Track and field
Events: 100 meters, 200 meters, 400-meter relay, long jump
Year: 1936
Medals: 4
Key stats: Gold medals in 100, 200, long jump and 400 relay
Bottom Line: Jesse Owens
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Jesse Owens' four gold medals at the 1936 Games in Berlin transcended sports, as he shattered Nazi Germany’s myth of Aryan supremacy in front of Adolf Hitler.
Owens broke or equaled nine Olympic records and set three world marks at the games. Though he received a ticker-tape parade in New York, Owens continued to face racial prejudice in his own country and was denied an invitation to the White House to celebrate his Olympic triumph.
A street and school are now named for him in Berlin, and two U.S. postage stamps were issued in his honor.
8. Marit Bjoergen
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Country: Norway
Sport: Cross country skiing
Events: Individual and team sprints, skiathlon, freestyle, classical
Years: 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018
Medals: 15
Key stats: Silver medal in 4x5km relay in 2002. Silver in 10km classical in 2006. Gold in individual sprint, 15km pursuit and 4x5km relay and silver in 30km classical in 2010. Gold in 15km skiathlon, 30km freestyle and team sprint in 2014. Gold in 4x5km relay and 30km classical. Silver in 15km skiathlon and bronze in 10km freestyle and team sprint in 2018.
Bottom Line: Marit Bjoergen
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With 15 career medals, Marit Bjorgen is the most decorated Winter Olympics athlete in history.
Her eight gold medals are tied with fellow Norwegians Bjorn Daehlie and Ole Einar Bjoerndalen for most ever in the Winter Games. And Bjoergen won the most medals of any athlete at the 2010 Vancouver Games with three golds, a silver and a bronze.
A five-time Olympian, Bjoergen won at least one medal in every Olympics in which she competed before retiring in 2018.
7. Ray Ewry
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Country: United States
Sport: Track and field
Events: Standing long jump, standing high jump and standing triple jump
Years: 1900, 1904, 1908
Medals: 8
Key stats: Gold medals in standing long jump, standing high jump and standing triple jump in 1900 and 1904. Gold in standing long jump and standing high jump in 1908.
Bottom Line: Ray Ewry
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Ray Ewry’s eight individual gold medals stood as the Olympic record for over 100 years, before being finally topped by swimming great Michael Phelps in 2008.
It took 108 years for Phelps to top Ewry’s other record of winning three gold medals in two individual events. If not for the fact the standing triple jump was discontinued after 1904, he may well have won three golds in that as well.
One record that may never be broken: Ewry won every Olympic competition he entered.
6. Paavo Nurmi
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Country: Finland
Sport: Track and field
Events: 1,500 meters, 3,000 meters, 5,000 meters, 3,000 meter steeplechase, cross country
Years: 1920, 1924, 1928
Medals: 12
Key stats: Gold medals in 10,000, individual cross country and team cross country in 1920. Gold in 1,500, 5,000, individual cross country, team cross country and 3,000 team in 1924. Gold in 10,000 in 1928. Silver medal in 5,000 in 1920, silver in 5,000 and 3,000-meter steeplechase in 1928.
Bottom Line: Paavo Nurmi
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The "Flying Finn" was the dominant distance runner of the early 20th century, setting 22 world records to go with his 12 Olympic medals (nine gold).
Paavo Nurmi's most impressive Olympic feat came in the 1924 cross country final that was run in 113-degree heat in Paris. All but 15 of the 38 competitors abandoned the race, with eight carried away in stretchers, but Nurmi had little trouble with the conditions and won by nearly a minute and a half.
5. Jackie Joyner-Kersee
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Country: United States
Sport: Track and field
Events: Heptathlon, long jump
Years: 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996
Medals: 6
Key stats: Gold medals in heptathlon and long jump in 1988. Gold in heptathlon in 1992. Silver medal in heptathlon in 1984. Bronze medal in long jump in 1992. Bronze in long jump in 1996.
Bottom Line: Jackie Joyner-Kersee
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Considered by some to be the greatest female athlete of all time, Jackie Joyner-Kersee still holds the world heptathlon record, set at the 1988 Olympics, when she totaled 7,291 points.
At the same games, she set an Olympic record by winning the long jump with a leap of 24 feet, 3 ¼ inches.
Her hopes of winning a third consecutive heptathlon gold in 1996 were derailed when an injury sustained at the Olympic trials forced her to withdraw after one event. She nevertheless fought through the pain to capture a bronze in the long jump in her final Olympic competition.
4. Nadia Comaneci
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Country: Romania
Sport: Gymnastics
Events: Team, all-around, balance beam, floor exercise, uneven bars
Years: 1976, 1980
Medals: 9
Key stats: Gold medals in all-around, uneven bars and balance beam, silver in team and bronze in floor exercise in 1976. Gold in balance beam and floor exercise and silver in all-around and team in 1980.
Bottom Line: Nadia Comaneci
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Perhaps the most famous gymnast ever, Nadia Comaneci made history in 1976 by earning the first perfect 10s at an Olympics.
She received seven perfect scores in all en route to winning three individual gold medals at the Montreal Games and became the youngest all-around Olympic champion ever at age 14.
Comaneci came back four years later to earn two more gold medals and two more perfect 10s at the Moscow Olympics.
3. Carl Lewis
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Country: United States
Sport: Track and field
Events: 100 meters, 200 meters, 400-meter relay, long jump
Years: 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996
Medals: 10
Key stats: Gold medals in 100, 200, 400 relay and long jump in 1984. Gold in 100 and long jump and silver in 200 in 1988. Gold in long jump and 400 relay in 1992. Gold in long jump in 1996.
Bottom Line: Carl Lewis
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One of the greatest track and field athletes in history, Carl Lewis first achieved Olympic fame in 1984, when he duplicated Jesse Owens’ feat by winning gold medals in the 100 and 200 sprints, 400 relay and long jump.
His medal haul continued over the next three Olympiads, particularly in the long jump, where he is one of only three Olympians to win four consecutive golds in the same event. Lewis put together a streak of 65 consecutive wins in the long jump over 10 years.
He may be best remembered, however, for the gold medal he won despite crossing the finish line second. His 100-meter duel with Canada’s Ben Johnson was the story of the 1988 Olympics, with Johnson setting a world record before being disqualified for failing a drug test, allowing Lewis to retain the title of world’s fastest man.
2. Usain Bolt
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Country: Jamaica
Sport: Track and field
Events: 100 meters, 200, 400 relay
Years: 2008, 2012, 2016
Medals: 8
Key stats: Gold medals in 100 and 200 in 2008, 2012 and 2016. Gold medals in 400 relay in 2012 and 2016.
Bottom Line: Usain Bolt
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The undisputed fastest man in history, Usain Bolt dominated the sprint events at three consecutive Olympiads, becoming an international sensation in the process. He completed a triple-double by capturing the 100 and 200 in dominating fashion in three consecutive Olympics, the first athlete ever to accomplish the feat.
Known for his showmanship during races, Bolt burst on the Olympic scene in 2008, easily winning the 100 in a world record time despite slowing up to celebrate near the end of the race.
He followed that up with another world record in the 200 despite running into a headwind.
1. Michael Phelps
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Country: United States
Sport: Swimming
Events: 100- and 200-meter butterfly, 200-meter freestyle, 400- and 800-meter individual medley; 400- and 800-meter freestyle relay, 400-meter medley relay
Years: 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016
Medals: 28
Key stats: Gold medals in 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly, 200 individual medley, 400 individual medley, 800 freestyle relay and 400 medley relay in 2004. Gold in 200 freestyle, 100 and 200 butterfly, 400 and 800 individual medley, 400 and 800 freestyle relay and 400 medley relay in 2008. Gold in 100 butterfly, 200 individual medley, 800 freestyle relay and 400 medley relay in 2012. Gold in 200 butterfly, 200 individual medley, 400 and 800 freestyle relay and 400 medley relay in 2016. Silver medals in 200 butterfly and 400 freestyle relay in 2012. Silver in 100 butterfly in 2016. Bronze medals in 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay in 2004.
Bottom Line: Michael Phelps
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Without question, the greatest swimmer in history and most decorated Olympian, Michael Phelps is the clear No. 1 choice. He holds the Olympic records for most total medals (28), total gold medals (23), individual event medals (16) and individual gold medals (13).
The highlight of his Olympic career came in 2008, when he topped Mark Spitz’s record of seven gold medals in a single Olympics with eight in Beijing. Seven of his eight titles during those games came in world record time, and the eighth set an Olympic record.
With his legacy already secured, Phelps continued his dominance by winning an additional 12 Olympic medals (nine gold) at the 2012 and 2016 Games.