Advertisement

Athletes with the most Olympic medals of all time from Summer and Winter Games

michelle r. martinelli
·4 min read
Aug 9, 2016; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Michael Phelps (USA) with his gold medal after the men's 200m butterfly final in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Olympic Aquatics Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: USATSI-GRP-676 ORIG FILE ID: 20160809_jel_usa_553.jpg
Aug 9, 2016; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Michael Phelps (USA) with his gold medal after the men's 200m butterfly final in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Olympic Aquatics Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: USATSI-GRP-676 ORIG FILE ID: 20160809_jel_usa_553.jpg

The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics officially began Friday with the Opening Ceremony, which means thousands of athletes from around the world have gathered for a chance to compete among the best at their respective sport.

The United States has dominated the total medal count with Summer Games, leading the world with 2,667 total medals before the Paris Olympics, including a world-best 1,070 gold medals. American swimmer Michael Phelps has the most individual medals ever with 28, including 23 goal medals, which is also an all-time record.

As the 2024 Paris Olympics get underway, we're taking a look at the most decorated individual Olympians of all time:

1. Michael Phelps (USA) - 28 medals

Sport: Swimming

Gold: 23

Silver: 3

Bronze: 2

2. Larisa Latynina (URS/UKR) - 18 medals

(FILE) Soviet Larissa Latynina performs her routine on the beam during the Olympic Games in Melbourne, July 1956. Larissa Latynina won 4 gold medals in Melbourne, 3 golds in Rome 1960, 5 silvers and 4 bronzes she is one of the athletes who has won the most medals in sport's history. (Photo credit should read -/AFP/Getty Images) [Via MerlinFTP Drop]
(FILE) Soviet Larissa Latynina performs her routine on the beam during the Olympic Games in Melbourne, July 1956. Larissa Latynina won 4 gold medals in Melbourne, 3 golds in Rome 1960, 5 silvers and 4 bronzes she is one of the athletes who has won the most medals in sport's history. (Photo credit should read -/AFP/Getty Images) [Via MerlinFTP Drop]

Sport: Gymnastics

Gold: 9

Silver: 5

Bronze: 4

3. Marit Bjørgen (NOR) - 15 medals

Marit Björgen of Norway celebrates after she won the women's 10 Km freestyle cross country event in the FIS World Cup in Kuusamo on November 28, 2010. Björgen won the event. AFP PHOTO/ LEHTIKUVA / Timo Jaakonaho *** FINLAND OUT *** (Photo credit should read Timo Jaakonaho/AFP/Getty Images) ORIG FILE ID: SKI-NORDIC-WOMEN-FIN
Marit Björgen of Norway celebrates after she won the women's 10 Km freestyle cross country event in the FIS World Cup in Kuusamo on November 28, 2010. Björgen won the event. AFP PHOTO/ LEHTIKUVA / Timo Jaakonaho *** FINLAND OUT *** (Photo credit should read Timo Jaakonaho/AFP/Getty Images) ORIG FILE ID: SKI-NORDIC-WOMEN-FIN

Sport: Cross-Country Skiing

Gold: 8

Silver: 4

Bronze: 3

4. Nikolay Andrianov (RUS/URS) - 15 medals

Nikolai Andrianov of the Soviet Union performs during the Men's Parallel bars event on 28th October 1978 during the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Strasbourg, France. (Photo by Tony Duffy/Getty Images)
Nikolai Andrianov of the Soviet Union performs during the Men's Parallel bars event on 28th October 1978 during the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Strasbourg, France. (Photo by Tony Duffy/Getty Images)

Sport: Gymnastics

Gold: 7

Silver: 5

Bronze: 3

5. Ole Einar Bjørndalen (NOR) - 13 medals

Sportphoto/ Christopher Neu/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images

Sport: Biathlon

Gold: 8

Silver: 4

Bronze: 1

6. Boris Shakhlin (URS/UKR) - 13 medals

AP Photo

Sport: Gymnastics

Gold: 7

Silver: 4

Bronze: 2

7. Edoardo Mangiarotti (ITA) - 13 medals

Olympic Foil Individual medalists face the camera on July 26, 1952 at Helsinki. French Christian D'Oriola (C) won gold, Italian Edoardo Mangiarotti (L) took silver and his compatriot Manlio Di Rosa (R) got bronze. Christian d'Oriola is the best French fencer in history. He won 4 gold medals and 2 silver at the Olympics between 1948 and 1956. / AFP / INTERCONTINENTALE / - (Photo credit should read -/AFP via Getty Images)

Sport: Fencing

Gold: 6

Silver: 5

Bronze: 2

8. Takashi Ono (JPN) - 13 medals

AP Photo

Sport: Gymnastics

Gold: 5

Silver: 4

Bronze: 4

9. Paavo Nurmi (FIN) - 12 medals

Press Association via AP Images

Sport: Athletics

Gold: 9

Silver: 3

Bronze: 0

10. Birgit Fischer-Schmidt (GDR/GER) - 12 medals

Sport: Canoeing

Gold: 8

Silver: 4

Bronze: 0

11. Bjørn Dæhlie (NOR) - 12 medals

AP Photos/Arne Forsell

Sport: Cross-Country Skiing

Gold: 8

Silver: 4

Bronze: 0

12. Sawao Kato (JPN) - 12 medals

AP Photo

Sport: Gymnastics

Gold: 8

Silver: 3

Bronze: 1

13. Jenny Thompson (USA) - 12 medals

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File

Sport: Swimming

Gold: 8

Silver: 3

Bronze: 1

14. Isabell Werth (GER) - 12 medals

DATE TAKEN: 8/3/96---Dressage gold medal winner Isabell Werth of Germany with her horse, Gigolo. ORG XMIT: UT27132
DATE TAKEN: 8/3/96---Dressage gold medal winner Isabell Werth of Germany with her horse, Gigolo. ORG XMIT: UT27132

Sport: Equestrian dressage

Gold: 7

Silver: 5

Bronze: 0

15. Ryan Lochte (USA) - 12 medals

Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

Sport: Swimming

Gold: 6

Silver: 3

Bronze: 3

16. Dara Torres (USA) - 12 medals

Aug. 17, 2008; Beijing, CHINA; Silver medal winner Dara Torres (USA) (right) smiles at gold medal winner Britta Steffen (GER) (left) after the Womens 50m freestyle final at the National Aquatics Center during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Aug. 17, 2008; Beijing, CHINA; Silver medal winner Dara Torres (USA) (right) smiles at gold medal winner Britta Steffen (GER) (left) after the Womens 50m freestyle final at the National Aquatics Center during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Sport: Swimming

Gold: 4

Silver: 4

Bronze: 4

17. Aleksey Nemov (RUS) - 12 medals

Sport: Gymnastics

Gold: 4

Silver: 2

Bronze: 6

18. Natalie Coughlin (USA) - 12 medals

Mar 7, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Team USA swimming athlete Natalie Coughlin poses for a portrait during the 2016 Team USA Media Summit at Beverly Hilton. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 7, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Team USA swimming athlete Natalie Coughlin poses for a portrait during the 2016 Team USA Media Summit at Beverly Hilton. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Sport: Swimming

Gold: 3

Silver: 4

Bronze: 5

19. Mark Spitz (USA) - 11 medals

AP Photo/stf

Sport: Swimming

Gold: 9

Silver: 1

Bronze: 1

20. Matt Biondi (USA) - 11 medals

Sep 21, 1988; Seoul, SOUTH KOREA; FILE PHOTO; Matt Biondi (USA) places second in the men's 100m butterfly during the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games at Jamsil Indoor Swimming Pool. Mandatory Credit: George Long-USA TODAY NETWORK
Sep 21, 1988; Seoul, SOUTH KOREA; FILE PHOTO; Matt Biondi (USA) places second in the men's 100m butterfly during the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games at Jamsil Indoor Swimming Pool. Mandatory Credit: George Long-USA TODAY NETWORK

Sport: Swimming

Gold: 8

Silver: 2

Bronze: 1

21. Věra Čáslavská (CZE/TCH) - 11 medals

CTK via AP Images

Sport: Gymnastics

Gold: 7

Silver: 4

Bronze: 0

22. Viktor Chukarin (USR/UKR) - 11 medals

Sport: Gymnastics

Gold: 7

Silver: 3

Bronze: 1

23. Allyson Felix (USA) - 11 medals

TOKYO, JAPAN - AUGUST 07: Allyson Felix of Team United States reacts after winning the gold medal in the Women's 4 x 400m Relay Final on day fifteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 07, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775649252 ORIG FILE ID: 1332857422
TOKYO, JAPAN - AUGUST 07: Allyson Felix of Team United States reacts after winning the gold medal in the Women's 4 x 400m Relay Final on day fifteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 07, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775649252 ORIG FILE ID: 1332857422

Sport: Track

Gold: 7

Silver: 3

Bronze: 1

24. Ireen Wüst (NED) - 13 medals

Mar 3, 2019; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Ireen Wust of Netherlands competes in women's 5000-meter race during the 2019 ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships at Olympic Oval. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 3, 2019; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Ireen Wust of Netherlands competes in women's 5000-meter race during the 2019 ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships at Olympic Oval. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Sport: Speedskating

Gold: 5

Silver: 5

Bronze: 1

25. Carl Osburn (USA) - 11 medals

Sport: Shooting

Gold: 5

Silver: 4

Bronze: 2

26. Emma McKeon (AUS) - 11 medals

Jul 29, 2021; Tokyo, Japan; Emma McKeon (AUS) in the women's 100m freestyle semifinals during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: OLY-455668 ORIG FILE ID: 20210729_jla_usa_046.jpg
Jul 29, 2021; Tokyo, Japan; Emma McKeon (AUS) in the women's 100m freestyle semifinals during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: OLY-455668 ORIG FILE ID: 20210729_jla_usa_046.jpg

Sport: Swimming

Gold: 5

Silver: 2

Bronze: 4

27. Carl Lewis (USA) - 10 medals

Unknown date, 1996; Atlanta, GA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Carl Lewis (USA) celebrates winning the gold medal for the men's long jump during the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games at Centennial Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: George Long-USA TODAY NETWORK
Unknown date, 1996; Atlanta, GA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Carl Lewis (USA) celebrates winning the gold medal for the men's long jump during the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games at Centennial Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: George Long-USA TODAY NETWORK

Sport: Athletics

Gold: 9

Silver: 1

Bronze: 0

28. Katie Ledecky (USA) - 10 medals

(AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Sport: Swimming

Gold: 7

Silver: 3

Bronze: 0

29. Aladár Gerevich (HUN) - 10 medals

Press Association via AP Images

Sport: Fencing

Gold: 7

Silver: 1

Bronze: 2

30. Hubert Van Innis (BEL) - 10 medals

Sport: Archery

Gold: 6

Silver: 4

Bronze: 0

31. Akinori Nakayama (JPN) - 10 medals

AP Photo

Sport: Gymnastics

Gold: 6

Silver: 2

Bronze: 2

32. Vitaly Shcherbo (BLR/EUN) - 10 medals

Sport: Gymnastics

Gold: 6

Silver: 0

Bronze: 4

33. Ágnes Keleti (HUN) - 10 medals

The oldest female olympic winner, Hungarian born Agnes Keleti, 95, makes a split in front of Hungarian young gymnasts in a local training center of Budapest on January 16, 2016. - Keleti is a five-time gold medalist of the artistic gymnastic category at the Olympic Games in Helsinki (1952) and Melbourne (1956). Keleti, born in Hungary in 1921 but living in Israel since 1957, last month celebrated her 95th birthday in the Hungarian capital. (Photo by PETER KOHALMI / AFP) (Photo by PETER KOHALMI/AFP via Getty Images)

Sport: Gymnastics

Gold: 5

Silver: 3

Bronze: 2

34. Gary Hall, Jr. (USA) - 10 medals

AP Photo/Luca Bruno

Sport: Swimming

Gold: 5

Silver: 3

Bronze: 2

35. Polina Astakhova (URS/UKR) - 10 medals

Sport: Gymnastics

Gold: 5

Silver: 2

Bronze: 3

36. Raisa Smetanina (RUS/URS/EUN) - 10 medals

Sport: Cross-Country Skiing

Gold: 4

Silver: 5

Bronze: 1

37. Allison Schmitt (USA) - 10 medals

Jul 26, 2021; Tokyo, Japan; Allison Schmitt (USA) in the women's 200m freestyle heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports ORIG FILE ID: 20210726_jla_usa_458.jpg
Jul 26, 2021; Tokyo, Japan; Allison Schmitt (USA) in the women's 200m freestyle heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports ORIG FILE ID: 20210726_jla_usa_458.jpg

Sport: Swimming

Gold: 4

Silver: 3

Bronze: 3

38. Aleksandr Dityatin (RUS/URS) - 10 medals

Russian gymnast Aleksandr Dityatin in action in the Men's Side Horse Competition in the Summer Olympic Games, in Moscow, on July 26, 1980. He won the silver medal in the event.
Russian gymnast Aleksandr Dityatin in action in the Men's Side Horse Competition in the Summer Olympic Games, in Moscow, on July 26, 1980. He won the silver medal in the event.

Sport: Gymnastics

Gold: 3

Silver: 6

Bronze: 1

39. Stefania Belmondo (ITA) - 10 medals

AP Photo/Luca Bruno

Sport: Cross-Country Skiing

Gold: 2

Silver: 3

Bronze: 5

40. Franziska van Almsick (GER) - 10 medals

AP Photo/Julie Jacobson

Sport: Swimming

Gold: 0

Silver: 4

Bronze: 6

List

Everything you need to know about the 2022 Beijing Olympics medal design

Gallery

18 stunning photos from 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics' Opening Ceremony

view 18 images

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Athletes with the most Olympic medals of all time from Summer and Winter Games