Which athletes have achieved the most during the Summer Olympic Games? Here are some of the greatest Olympians in history – our list considers their medal achievements in both individual and team events. Just as players look for the best Wanted Win no deposit bonus to maximise their winnings, Olympic fans celebrate athletes who go for gold with unmatched dedication. Placement is determined primarily by the number of gold medals, and secondarily by the total number of Olympic medals.
Our pick: Věra Čáslavská (Czech Republic)
One of the most outstanding gymnasts in history, Věra Čáslavská won a total of 11 Summer Olympic medals, including 7 gold. While this places her just outside the top ten most successful Olympians, it is remarkable that all 7 gold medals were won in individual competitions – the same number as Carl Lewis and only fewer than Ray Ewry and Michael Phelps. She competed in Rome (1960), Tokyo (1964), and Mexico City (1968).
In addition, she was an eight-time World Championship medallist (including 4 golds) and a thirteen-time European Championship medallist (including 11 golds). Čáslavská is remembered not only as an exceptional athlete but also for her stance as a symbol of protest during the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, which controversially cost her the gold medal in the balance beam, awarded instead to Natalya Kuchinskaya of the USSR. Had it not been for this, Čáslavská likely would have claimed eight Olympic golds, placing her among the ten most successful Olympians.
Our award: Jennifer Thompson (USA)
Jennifer Thompson is one of the most successful swimmers in the history of the Summer Olympic Games. Her achievements include 8 gold medals, 3 silver medals, and 1 bronze – a total of 12, ranking among the best results in Olympic history. However, she never won gold in individual events at the Olympics, which is why she receives an honourable mention.
She won medals at:
- Barcelona 1992 – 4 x 100 m freestyle and 4 x 100 m medley
- Atlanta 1996 – 4 x 100 m freestyle, 4 x 200 m freestyle, and 4 x 100 m medley
- Sydney 2000 – 4 x 200 m freestyle and 4 x 100 m medley
- Athens 2004 – two silver medals in 4 x 100 m freestyle and 4 x 100 m medley
In addition, Thompson earned 14 World Championship medals, including 7 gold, 5 silver, and 2 bronze.
10th place: Usain Bolt (Jamaica)
One of the most famous and respected athletes of the 21st century, Usain Bolt is widely known as the ‘fastest man in the world.’ The Jamaican sprinter has achieved more in his career than most could imagine. He has been a world champion eleven times, earning two silver and one bronze medal in addition to his Olympic successes.
Bolt has won eight Olympic gold medals:
- Beijing 2008 – 100 m and 200 m
- London 2012 – 100 m, 200 m, and 4 x 100 m relay
- Rio de Janeiro 2016 – 100 m, 200 m, and 4 x 100 m relay
He still holds the world records in the 100 m (9.58 s) and 200 m (19.19 s). In the historical medal rankings of the Summer Olympics, Bolt ranks 10th, tied with Ray Ewry. No sprinter has won more Olympic medals than him.
9th place: Raymond ‘Ray’ Ewry (USA)
An outstanding athlete, though less remembered today, Ray Ewry won eight Olympic gold medals – all in individual events, which is the second-best result in history for individual competitions. He won three times in Paris (1900) in the standing high jump, standing long jump, and standing triple jump; three times in St. Louis (1904) in the same events; and twice in London (1908) in the standing high jump and standing long jump.
These events are no longer included in the Olympics, which partly explains why Ewry is less well-known today. People often wonder about forgotten histories—from athletes like Ewry to questions such as when was blackjack invented. Remarkably, Ewry had polio as a child and used a wheelchair. Doctors predicted he would be paralysed for life, but through exercise he not only stood on his own two feet but developed the agility to become one of the most successful Olympians in history.
8th place: Matt Biondi (USA)
The first of three great American swimmers on this list. A multiple medallist at the Summer Olympics, World Championships and Universiade. He competed in the Games in Los Angeles (1984), Seoul (1988) and Barcelona (1992). In total, he won 8 gold medals, 2 silver medals and 1 bronze medal. He won in several events: 4 x 100 m freestyle, 4 x 200 m freestyle, 100 m freestyle and 50 m freestyle. He won the world championship title six times, also winning two silver and three bronze medals at the World Championships (1986-1991). He won seven of his eleven Olympic medals in Seoul in 1988 (five gold, one silver and one bronze). His performance at those Games was one of the best in history.
7th place: Sawao Katō (Japan)
One of the most outstanding gymnasts of his time and one of the best in the history of the sport, this Japanese athlete is also the most successful male gymnast in Summer Olympic history. He won 8 gold medals, 3 silver medals, and 1 bronze medal.
His victories came at:
- Mexico City 1968 – individual all-around, team all-around, floor exercises, and parallel bars
- Munich 1972 – individual all-around, team all-around, and floor exercises
- Montreal 1976 – individual all-around and team all-around
He earned silver medals in the horizontal bar (1972), pommel horse (1972), and individual all-around (1976), and bronze in the rings (1968). Even today, his versatility and achievements continue to impress.
6th place: Birgit Fischer (GDR/Germany)
The most successful canoeist in history, she competed in six Summer Olympic Games (1980–2004). She won at least one medal at every Games she participated in, earning a total of 12 medals – 8 gold and 4 silver.
Her Olympic victories include:
- Moscow 1980 – gold
- Seoul 1988 – two golds
- Barcelona 1992 – gold
- Atlanta 1996 – gold
- Sydney 2000 – gold
- Athens 2004 – gold
She became both the youngest (18) and oldest (42) Olympic champion in canoeing. At the World Championships between 1978 and 2005, she won 38 medals, including 28 golds. Today, she is involved in photography.
5th place: Carl Lewis (USA)
A true all-round athlete – sprinter, long jumper, and actor – Carl Lewis is one of the most successful Olympians in history. He won 9 Olympic gold medals and 1 silver, including 7 titles in individual events.
His Olympic medals include:
- Los Angeles 1984 – gold in long jump, 100 m, 200 m, and 4 x 100 m relay
- Seoul 1988 – gold in 100 m and long jump, silver in 200 m
- Barcelona 1992 – gold in long jump and 4 x 100 m relay
- Atlanta 1996 – gold in long jump
Lewis also won eight World Championship titles, both individually and in relays, and earned additional silver and bronze medals at the World Championships. He consistently broke records and dominated the events he competed in, making him widely recognised as one of the greatest athletes in history.
4th place: Mark Spitz (USA)
If it weren’t for Michael Phelps, the title of the greatest Olympic swimmer in history might belong to Mark Spitz. His achievements are remarkable. He first competed in the Summer Olympics in 1968, winning four medals: two gold, one silver, and one bronze.
Spitz secured his place in history at the 1972 Munich Olympics, where he won seven gold medals – more than anyone had achieved in a single Games at that time. He broke the world record in every event he entered: 100 m and 200 m freestyle, 100 m and 200 m butterfly, 4 x 100 m and 4 x 200 m freestyle relay, and 4 x 100 m medley relay.
In total, Spitz won 11 Olympic medals: 9 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze. Throughout his career, he set 33 world records across various swimming events.
3rd place: Paavo Nurmi (Finland)
A legendary long-distance runner, Paavo Nurmi won 12 Olympic medals: 9 gold and 3 silver. At the 1924 Paris Olympics, he competed in five running events and won gold in all of them: 1500 m, 5000 m, 3000 m team, cross-country, and cross-country team. Remarkably, he ran the 1500 m and 5000 m races within 26 minutes of each other, breaking world records in both (3:56.6 and 14:31.2).
By the time of the Paris Games, Nurmi was already a three-time Olympic champion, having won medals in Antwerp (1920) in the 10,000 m, cross-country, and team cross-country events. He earned his final Olympic gold in Amsterdam (1928) in the 10,000 m race, along with silver medals in the 5000 m (Antwerp and Amsterdam) and the 3000 m steeplechase (Amsterdam).
Nurmi’s dominance and remarkable endurance have made him a legend in long-distance running.
2nd place: Larisa Latynina (USSR/Ukraine)
One of the most decorated gymnasts in Olympic history, she won 18 medals – 9 gold, 5 silver, and 4 bronze – making her the woman with the most Olympic medals ever. For nearly half a century, she held the record for the most decorated athlete in Olympic history. She is still considered one of the greatest gymnasts, alongside Věra Čáslavská.
During the Olympic Games in Melbourne (1956), Rome (1960), and Tokyo (1964), she won gold in the individual all-around, team all-around, floor exercise, and vault, and also earned medals in the uneven bars and balance beam.
In addition to her Olympic achievements, she won multiple medals at the World Championships (14 medals, 9 gold) and European Championships (14 medals, 7 gold). After retiring from competition, she became a successful coach, guiding many athletes to championship titles.
1st place: Michael Phelps (USA)
For anyone who even casually follows sports, it was clear who would take first place: Michael Phelps. He has won 28 Olympic medals, including 23 gold, and 31 World Championship medals, including 26 gold. That’s nearly as many as some of the greatest Olympians combined.
Phelps competed in four Summer Olympics – Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio de Janeiro 2016 – and never returned home with fewer than six medals. At Beijing 2008, he broke Mark Spitz’s record by winning eight Olympic gold medals in a single Games, setting seven world records in the process.
Widely regarded as the greatest swimmer in history, many also consider him the best athlete of the 21st century. A recent ESPN survey of 70,000 people ranked Phelps first, ahead of Serena Williams (2), Lionel Messi (3), LeBron James (4), Tom Brady (5), and Roger Federer (6).
His list of achievements is so extraordinary that it could be shared among several other athletes, each of whom would be considered outstanding. Michael Phelps’ place at the top is well deserved – he was simply born for it.
