List of the most successful summer Olympians

Michael Phelps (2016)

Medals have been awarded at 28  Summer Olympics since 1896 . The first Summer Olympics were held in Athens in 1896 , the last in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 .

The most successful participant in the Summer Olympics to date is the American swimmer Michael Phelps . Phelps also holds the record for the most gold medals won in a single event. In 2008 at the Beijing Games he won eight Olympic victories in individual and relay competitions and improved the record of his compatriot Mark Spitz , who had seven wins in swimming in Munich in 1972 . The most successful athletes in an individual discipline are the Americans Al Oerter (Olympic champion in discus throw in 1956, 1960, 1964 and 1968), Carl Lewis (Olympic champion in long jump 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996) and Phelps (Olympic champion in the 200 m medley 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016). The Japanese Kaori Ichō also won gold in wrestling four times in a row - in 2004, 2008 and 2012 in the middleweight division (up to 63 kg), in 2016 she switched to the newly created weight class welterweight (up to 58 kg). The most successful athlete in a team discipline is the Hungarian Aladár Gerevich , who was Olympic champion in team saber fencing six times in a row (1932, 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960), followed by his teammates Rudolf Kárpáti and Pál Kovács with five victories each (each 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960).

Eternal leaderboard (from four gold medals)

The placements are sorted according to the number of gold medals won, followed by the number of silver and bronze medals won (medals won at the not officially recognized Olympic Intermediate Games in Athens in 1906 were not taken into account ). Several athletes with the same number of medals are sorted alphabetically.

Eternal list of the best medal winners at the Summer Olympics (as of January 25, 2017)

space	Sportswoman	country	sport	Period	gold	silver	bronze	total
1	Michael Phelps	United States	swim	2004-2016	23	3	2	28
2	Larissa Latynina	Soviet Union	do gymnastics	1956-1964	9	5	4th	18th
3	Paavo Nurmi	Finland	athletics	1920-1928	9	3	0	12
4th	Mark Spitz	United States	swim	1968-1972	9	1	1	11
5	Carl Lewis	United States	athletics	1984-1996	9	1	0	10
6th	Birgit Fischer	DDR Germany	canoe	1980-2004	8th	4th	0	12
7th	Sawao Kato	Japan	do gymnastics	1968-1976	8th	3	1	12
7th	Jenny Thompson	United States	swim	1992-2004	8th	3	1	12
9	Matt Biondi	United States	swim	1984-1992	8th	2	1	11
10	Usain Bolt	Jamaica	athletics	2008-2016	8th	0	0	8th
10	Ray Ewry	United States	athletics	1900-1908	8th	0	0	8th
12	Nikolai Andrianov	Soviet Union	do gymnastics	1972-1980	7th	5	3	15th
13	Boris Schachlin	Soviet Union	do gymnastics	1956-1964	7th	4th	2	13
14th	Věra Čáslavská	Czechoslovakia	do gymnastics	1960-1968	7th	4th	0	11
15th	Viktor Chukarin	Soviet Union	do gymnastics	1952-1956	7th	3	1	11
16	Aladár Gerevich	Hungary	fencing	1932-1960	7th	1	2	10
17th	Edoardo Mangiarotti	Italy	fencing	1936-1960	6th	5	2	13
18th	Isabell Werth	Germany	Dressage riding	1992-2016	6th	4th	0	10
19th	Ryan Lochte	United States	swim	2004-2016	6th	3	3	12
20th	Allyson Felix	United States	athletics	2004-2016	6th	3	0	9
20th	Hubert Van Innis	Belgium	Archery	1900-1920	6th	3	0	9
22nd	Akinori Nakayama	Japan	do gymnastics	1968-1972	6th	2	2	10
23	Valentina Vezzali	Italy	fencing	1996-2012	6th	1	2	9
24	Gert Fredriksson	Sweden	canoe	1948-1960	6th	1	1	8th
25th	Chris Hoy	United Kingdom	Cycling	2000-2012	6th	1	0	7th
25th	Jason Kenny	United Kingdom	Cycling	2008-2016	6th	1	0	7th
27	Vitaly Scherbo	United team Belarus	do gymnastics	1992-1996	6th	0	4th	10
28	Reiner Klimke	Germany FR Germany	Dressage riding	1964-1988	6th	0	2	8th
29	Pál Kovács	Hungary	fencing	1936-1960	6th	0	1	7th
30th	Rudolf Kárpáti	Hungary	fencing	1948-1960	6th	0	0	6th
30th	Nedo Nadi	Italy	fencing	1912-1920	6th	0	0	6th
30th	Kristin Otto	GDR	swim	1988	6th	0	0	6th
30th	Amy Van Dyken	United States	swim	1996-2000	6th	0	0	6th
34	Takashi Ono	Japan	do gymnastics	1952-1964	5	4th	4th	13
35	Carl Osburn	United States	shoot	1912-1924	5	4th	2	11
36	Gary Hall Junior	United States	swim	1996-2004	5	3	2	10
36	Ágnes Keleti	Hungary	do gymnastics	1952-1956	5	3	2	10
38	Nadia Comăneci	Romania	do gymnastics	1976-1980	5	3	1	9
38	Ian Thorpe	Australia	swim	2000-2004	5	3	1	9
40	Ville Ritola	Finland	athletics	1924-1928	5	3	0	8th
41	Polina Astakhova	Soviet Union	do gymnastics	1956-1964	5	2	3	10
42	Elisabeta Lipa	Romania	rowing	1984-2000	5	2	1	8th
43	Yukio Endo	Japan	do gymnastics	1960-1968	5	2	0	7th
43	Aaron Peirsol	United States	swim	2000-2008	5	2	0	7th
45	Mitsuo Tsukahara	Japan	do gymnastics	1968-1976	5	1	3	9
46	Nathan Adrian	United States	swim	2008-2016	5	1	2	8th
46	Bradley Wiggins	United Kingdom	Cycling	2000-2016	5	1	2	8th
48	Krisztina Egerszegi	Hungary	swim	1988-1996	5	1	1	7th
48	Tom Jager	United States	swim	1984-1992	5	1	1	7th
48	Willis A. Lee	United States	shoot	1920	5	1	1	7th
48	Wu Minxia	People's Republic of China	Diving	2004-2016	5	1	1	7th
48	Hans Günter Winkler	Germany FR Germany	Show jumping	1956-1976	5	1	1	7th
52	Anton Heida	United States	do gymnastics	1904	5	1	0	6th
52	Nelli Kim	Soviet Union	do gymnastics	1976-1980	5	1	0	6th
52	Danuta Kozák	Hungary	canoe	2008-2016	5	1	0	6th
52	Katie Ledecky	United States	swim	2012-2016	5	1	0	6th
52	Ole Lilloe-Olsen	Norway	shoot	1920-1924	5	1	0	6th
52	Don Schollander	United States	swim	1964-1968	5	1	0	6th
58	Georgeta Damian	Romania	rowing	2000-2008	5	0	1	6th
58	Missy Franklin	United States	swim	2012-2016	5	0	1	6th
58	Alfred Lane	United States	shoot	1912-1920	5	0	1	6th
58	Steven Redgrave	United Kingdom	rowing	1984-2000	5	0	1	6th
58	Johnny Weissmüller	United States	Swimming, water polo	1924-1928	5	0	1	6th
58	Zou Kai	People's Republic of China	do gymnastics	2008–2012	5	0	1	6th
64	Chen Ruolin	People's Republic of China	Diving	2008-2016	5	0	0	5
64	Anastasija Davydova	Russia	Synchronized swimming	2004–2012	5	0	0	5
64	Morris Fisher	United States	shoot	1920-1924	5	0	0	5
64	Natalia Ishchenko	Russia	Synchronized swimming	2008-2016	5	0	0	5
64	Svetlana Romaschina	Russia	Synchronized swimming	2008-2016	5	0	0	5
69	Alexander Popov	United team Russia	swim	1992-2000	4th	5	0	9
70	Dara Torres	United States	swim	1984-2008	4th	4th	4th	12
71	Dawn Fraser	Australia	swim	1956-1964	4th	4th	0	8th
71	Kornelia Ender	GDR	swim	1972-1976	4th	4th	0	8th
73	Lyudmila Turishcheva	Soviet Union	do gymnastics	1968-1976	4th	3	2	9
74	Georges Miez	Switzerland	do gymnastics	1924-1936	4th	3	1	8th
74	Otto Olsen	Norway	shoot	1920-1924	4th	3	1	8th
76	Lucien Gaudin	France	fencing	1920-1928	4th	3	0	7th
76	Ivan Patzaichin	Romania	canoe	1968-1984	4th	3	0	7th
78	Alexei Nemov	Russia	do gymnastics	1996-2000	4th	2	6th	12
79	Inge de Bruijn	Netherlands	swim	2000-2004	4th	2	2	8th
79	Jason Lezak	United States	swim	2000-2012	4th	2	2	8th
79	Roland Matthes	GDR	swim	1968-1976	4th	2	2	8th
82	Einar Liberg	Norway	shoot	1908-1924	4th	2	1	7th
83	Giuseppe Delfino	Italy	fencing	1952-1964	4th	2	0	6th
83	Matt Grevers	United States	swim	2008–2012	4th	2	0	6th
83	Jin Jong-oh	South Korea	shoot	2004-2016	4th	2	0	6th
83	Guo Jingjing	People's Republic of China	Diving	2000-2008	4th	2	0	6th
83	Olga Korbut	Soviet Union	do gymnastics	1972-1976	4th	2	0	6th
83	Christian d'Oriola	France	fencing	1948-1956	4th	2	0	6th
89	Giovanna Trillini	Italy	fencing	1992-2008	4th	1	3	8th
90	Charles Daniels	United States	swim	1904-1908	4th	1	2	7th
90	Kosuke Kitajima	Japan	swim	2004–2012	4th	1	2	7th
90	Lloyd Spooner	United States	shoot	1920	4th	1	2	7th
90	Lisbeth Trickett	Australia	swim	2004–2012	4th	1	2	7th
94	Doina Ignat	Romania	rowing	1992-2008	4th	1	1	6th
94	Kim Soo-nyung	South Korea	Archery	1988-2000	4th	1	1	6th
94	Murray Rose	Australia	swim	1956-1960	4th	1	1	6th
94	Jelena Belowa	Soviet Union	fencing	1968-1976	4th	1	1	6th
94	Viktor Sidjak	Soviet Union	fencing	1968-1980	4th	1	1	6th
94	Dana Vollmer	United States	swim	2004-2016	4th	1	1	6th
94	Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel	Netherlands	Cycling	2000-2004	4th	1	1	6th
94	Katrin Wagner-Augustin	Germany	canoe	2000-2012	4th	1	1	6th
102	Ben Ainslie	United Kingdom	sailing	1996-2012	4th	1	0	5
102	Vladimir Artyomov	Soviet Union	do gymnastics	1988	4th	1	0	5
102	Evelyn Ashford	United States	athletics	1984-1992	4th	1	0	5
102	Janet Evans	United States	swim	1988-1992	4th	1	0	5
102	Ian Ferguson	New Zealand	canoe	1984-1988	4th	1	0	5
102	Ramón Fonst	Cuba	fencing	1900-1904	4th	1	0	5
102	Fu Mingxia	People's Republic of China	Diving	1992-2000	4th	1	0	5
102	Jana Klotschkowa	Ukraine	swim	2000-2004	4th	1	0	5
102	Hannes Kolehmainen	Finland	athletics	1912-1920	4th	1	0	5
102	Greg Louganis	United States	Diving	1976-1988	4th	1	0	5
102	Valentin Muratov	Soviet Union	do gymnastics	1952-1956	4th	1	0	5
102	John Naber	United States	swim	1976	4th	1	0	5
102	Charles Pahud de Mortanges	Netherlands	Dressage riding	1924-1936	4th	1	0	5
102	Mel Sheppard	United States	athletics	1908-1912	4th	1	0	5
102	Ecaterina Szabó	Romania	do gymnastics	1984	4th	1	0	5
102	Wang Nan	People's Republic of China	Table tennis	2000-2008	4th	1	0	5
102	Venus Williams	United States	tennis	2000-2016	4th	1	0	5
102	Emil Zatopek	Czechoslovakia	athletics	1948-1952	4th	1	0	5
120	Győző Kulcsár	Hungary	fencing	1964-1976	4th	0	2	6th
121	Ludger Beerbaum	Germany	Show jumping	1988-2016	4th	0	1	5
121	Simone Biles	United States	do gymnastics	2016	4th	0	1	5
121	Kathrin Boron	Germany	rowing	1992-2008	4th	0	1	5
121	Teresa Edwards	United States	basketball	1984-2000	4th	0	1	5
121	Marcus Hurley	United States	Cycling	1904	4th	0	1	5
121	Li Xiaopeng	People's Republic of China	do gymnastics	2000-2008	4th	0	1	5
121	Jon Olsen	United States	swim	1992-1996	4th	0	1	5
121	Stanislav Posdnyakov	United team Russia	fencing	1992-2004	4th	0	1	5
121	Sanya Richards-Ross	United States	athletics	2004–2012	4th	0	1	5
121	Viorica Susanu	Romania	rowing	2000-2008	4th	0	1	5
121	Giorgio Zampori	Italy	do gymnastics	1912-1924	4th	0	1	5
132	Fanny Blankers-Koen	Netherlands	athletics	1948	4th	0	0	4th
132	Betty Cuthbert	Australia	athletics	1956-1964	4th	0	0	4th
132	Tamás Darnyi	Hungary	swim	1988-1992	4th	0	0	4th
132	Harrison Dillard	United States	athletics	1948-1952	4th	0	0	4th
132	Deng Yaping	People's Republic of China	Table tennis	1992-1996	4th	0	0	4th
132	Paul Elvstrøm	Denmark	sailing	1948-1960	4th	0	0	4th
132	Mo Farah	United Kingdom	athletics	2012-2016	4th	0	0	4th
132	Jenő fox	Hungary	fencing	1908-1912	4th	0	0	4th
132	Kaori Icho	Japan	Wrestling	2004-2016	4th	0	0	4th
132	Anastassija Yermakova	Russia	Synchronized swimming	2004-2008	4th	0	0	4th
132	Michael Johnson	United States	athletics	1992-2000	4th	0	0	4th
132	Robert Korzeniowski	Poland	athletics	1996-2004	4th	0	0	4th
132	Alvin Kraenzlein	United States	athletics	1900	4th	0	0	4th
132	Lenny Krayzelburg	United States	swim	2000-2004	4th	0	0	4th
132	Viktor Krovopuskov	Soviet Union	fencing	1976-1980	4th	0	0	4th
132	Lisa Leslie	United States	basketball	1996-2008	4th	0	0	4th
132	Patricia McCormick	United States	Diving	1952-1956	4th	0	0	4th
132	Al Oerter	United States	athletics	1956-1968	4th	0	0	4th
132	Jesse Owens	United States	athletics	1936	4th	0	0	4th
132	Carlo Pavesi	Italy	fencing	1952-1960	4th	0	0	4th
132	Matthew Pinsent	United Kingdom	rowing	1992-2004	4th	0	0	4th
132	Paul Radmilovic	United Kingdom	Water polo, swimming	1908-1920	4th	0	0	4th
132	Henri Saint Cyr	Sweden	Dressage riding	1952-1956	4th	0	0	4th
132	Vladimir Salnikov	Soviet Union	swim	1980-1988	4th	0	0	4th
132	Carl Schuhmann	German Empire	Gymnastics, wrestling	1896	4th	0	0	4th
132	Laura Trott	United Kingdom	Cycling	2012-2016	4th	0	0	4th
132	Nicole Uphoff	Germany	Dressage riding	1988-1992	4th	0	0	4th
132	Let Virén	Finland	athletics	1972-1976	4th	0	0	4th
132	Bärbel Wöckel	GDR	athletics	1976-1980	4th	0	0	4th
132	Serena Williams	United States	tennis	2000-2012	4th	0	0	4th
132	Zhang Yining	People's Republic of China	Table tennis	2004-2008	4th	0	0	4th

Most successful summer athlete at the Olympic Games one year (from four gold medals)

space	Sportswoman	country	sport	Olympics	gold	silver	bronze	total
1	Michael Phelps	United States	swim	2008	8th	0	0	8th
2	Mark Spitz	United States	swim	1972	7th	0	0	7th
3	Michael Phelps	United States	swim	2004	6th	0	2	8th
4th	Kristin Otto	GDR	swim	1988	6th	0	0	6th
4th	Vital Shcherba	United team	do gymnastics	1992	6th	0	0	6th
6th	Matt Biondi	United States	swim	1988	5	1	1	7th
6th	Willis A. Lee	United States	shoot	1920	5	1	1	7th
8th	Anton Heida	United States	do gymnastics	1904	5	1	0	6th
8th	Michael Phelps	United States	swim	2016	5	1	0	6th
10	Nedo Nadi	Italy	fencing	1920	5	0	0	5
10	Paavo Nurmi	Finland	athletics	1924	5	0	0	5
12	Nikolai Andrianov	Soviet Union	do gymnastics	1976	4th	2	1	7th
12	Boris Schachlin	Soviet Union	do gymnastics	1960	4th	2	1	7th
14th	Věra Čáslavská	Czechoslovakia	do gymnastics	1968	4th	2	0	6th
14th	Ágnes Keleti	Hungary	do gymnastics	1956	4th	2	0	6th
14th	Michael Phelps	United States	swim	2012	4th	2	0	6th
14th	Ville Ritola	Finland	athletics	1924	4th	2	0	6th
14th	Viktor Chukarin	Soviet Union	do gymnastics	1952	4th	2	0	6th
14th	Hubert Van Innis	Belgium	Archery	1920	4th	2	0	6th
20th	Lloyd Spooner	United States	shoot	1920	4th	1	2	7th
21st	Akinori Nakayama	Japan	do gymnastics	1968	4th	1	1	6th
21st	Larissa Latynina	Soviet Union	do gymnastics	1956	4th	1	1	6th
21st	Carl Osburn	United States	shoot	1920	4th	1	1	6th
24	Vladimir Artyomov	Soviet Union	do gymnastics	1988	4th	1	0	5
24	Kornelia Ender	GDR	swim	1976	4th	1	0	5
24	John Naber	United States	swim	1976	4th	1	0	5
24	Ecaterina Szabó	Romania	do gymnastics	1984	4th	1	0	5
28	Simone Biles	United States	do gymnastics	2016	4th	0	1	5
28	Missy Franklin	United States	swim	2012	4th	0	1	5
28	Marcus Hurley	United States	Cycling	1904	4th	0	1	5
31	Fanny Blankers-Koen	Netherlands	athletics	1948	4th	0	0	4th
31	Alvin Kraenzlein	United States	athletics	1900	4th	0	0	4th
31	Carl Lewis	United States	athletics	1984	4th	0	0	4th
31	Jesse Owens	United States	athletics	1936	4th	0	0	4th
31	Don Schollander	United States	swim	1964	4th	0	0	4th
31	Carl Schuhmann	German Empire	Gymnastics, wrestling	1896	4th	0	0	4th
31	Amy Van Dyken	United States	swim	1996	4th	0	0	4th

Most successful summer Olympians from German-speaking countries

Germany

Birgit Fischer (2010)

Overview of the most successful German summer Olympians (from three gold medals).

space	Sportswoman	Team (s)	sport	Period	gold	silver	bronze	total
1	Birgit Fischer	DDR Germany	canoe	1980-2004	8th	4th	0	12
2	Isabell Werth	Germany	Dressage riding	1992-2016	6th	4th	0	10
3	Reiner Klimke	All-German team BR Germany	Dressage riding	1964-1988	6th	0	2	8th
4th	Kristin Otto	GDR	swim	1988	6th	0	0	6th
5	Hans Günter Winkler	All-German team BR Germany	Show jumping	1956-1976	5	1	1	7th
6th	Kornelia Ender	GDR	swim	1972-1976	4th	4th	0	8th
7th	Roland Matthes	GDR	swim	1968-1976	4th	2	2	8th
8th	Katrin Wagner-Augustin	Germany	canoe	2000-2012	4th	1	1	6th
9	Kathrin Boron	Germany	rowing	1992-2008	4th	0	1	5
10	Ludger Beerbaum	Germany	Show jumping	1988-2016	4th	0	1	5
10	Carl Schuhmann	German Empire	Gymnastics, wrestling	1896	4th	0	0	4th
10	Nicole Uphoff	Germany	Dressage riding	1988-1992	4th	0	0	4th
10	Bärbel Wöckel	GDR	athletics	1976-1980	4th	0	0	4th
14th	Andrea Pollack	GDR	swim	1976-1980	3	3	0	6th
15th	Michael Gross	BR Germany	swim	1984-1988	3	2	1	6th
15th	Renate Stecher	GDR	athletics	1972-1976	3	2	1	6th
15th	Hermann Weingärtner	German Empire	do gymnastics	1896	3	2	1	6th
18th	Ramona Portwich	DDR Germany	canoe	1988-1996	3	2	0	5
18th	Ralf Schumann	DDR Germany	shoot	1988-2008	3	2	0	5
20th	Konrad Frey	German Empire	do gymnastics	1936	3	1	2	6th
20th	Alfred Schwarzmann	German Empire Germany	do gymnastics	1936-1952	3	1	2	6th
22nd	Kay Bluhm	DDR Germany	canoe	1988-1996	3	1	1	5
22nd	Andreas Dittmer	Germany	canoe	1996-2004	3	1	1	5
24	Alfred Flatow	German Empire	do gymnastics	1896	3	1	0	4th
24	Ingrid Engel-Krämer	All-German team	Diving	1960-1964	3	1	0	4th
24	Michael Jung	Germany	horse riding	2012-2016	3	1	0	4th
24	Caren Metschuck	GDR	swim	1980	3	1	0	4th
24	Anke von Seck	DDR Germany	canoe	1988-1992	3	1	0	4th
24	Torsten Gutsche	Germany	canoe	1992-1996	3	1	0	4th
24	Jochen Schümann	DDR Germany	sailing	1976-2000	3	1	0	4th
31	Rudiger helmet	GDR	canoe	1976-1980	3	0	3	6th
32	Jens Fiedler	Germany	Cycling	1992-2004	3	0	2	5
33	Sebastian Brendel	Germany	canoe	2012-2016	3	0	0	3
33	Siegfried Brietzke	GDR	rowing	1972-1980	3	0	0	3
33	Ulrike Richter	GDR	swim	1976	3	0	0	3
33	Barbara Krause	GDR	swim	1980	3	0	0	3
33	Rica Reinisch	GDR	swim	1980	3	0	0	3
33	Monica Theodorescu	Germany	Dressage riding	1988-1996	3	0	0	3

Austria

The two sailors Roman Hagara and Hans-Peter Steinacher (2008)

Overview of the most successful Austrian summer Olympic athletes (from two gold medals). Medals won at the not officially recognized Olympic Intermediate Games in Athens in 1906 were not taken into account .

space	Sportswoman	sport	Period	gold	silver	bronze	total
1	Julius Lenhart	do gymnastics	1904	2	1	0	3
2	Roman Hagara	sailing	2000-2004	2	0	0	2
2	Gregor Hradetzky	canoe	1936	2	0	0	2
2	Peter Seisenbacher	Judo	1984-1988	2	0	0	2
2	Hans-Peter Steinacher	sailing	2000-2004	2	0	0	2

Switzerland

Georges Miez (1928)

Overview of the most successful Swiss summer Olympic athletes (from two gold medals). Medals won at the not officially recognized Olympic Intermediate Games in Athens in 1906 were not taken into account.

space	Sportswoman	sport	Period	gold	silver	bronze	total
1	Georges Miez	do gymnastics	1924-1936	4th	3	1	8th
2	Konrad Staeheli	shoot	1900	3	0	1	4th
3	Eugene Mack	do gymnastics	1928-1936	2	4th	2	8th
4th	Hermann Hänggi	do gymnastics	1928	2	1	1	6th
5	Fabian Cancellara	Cycling	2008-2016	2	1	0	3
5	Emil Kellenberger	shoot	1900	2	1	0	3
5	Hans Walter	rowing	1920-1924	2	1	0	3
8th	August Güttinger	do gymnastics	1924-1928	2	0	2	4th
9	Louis-Marcel Richardet	shoot	1900	2	0	0	2
9	Konrad Röderer	shoot	1900	2	0	0	2

Liechtenstein

Athletes from Liechtenstein have not yet been able to win a medal at the Summer Olympics.

See also

• Eternal medal table of the Olympic Games
• Eternal medal table of the Summer Olympics
• Eternal medal table of the Olympic Winter Games
• Winner of the Nations Cup at the Olympic Games
• List of the most successful Winter Olympians
• List of revoked Olympic medals

Web links

• Official database of all Olympic medalists