The quadrennial multi-sport tournament, the Olympic Games, are technically thousands of years old, and in light of the original games in Olympia, Greece, the modern iteration began in 1896 by the French historian Pierre de Coubertin as a global platform for multiple sporting disciplines. Even after 128 years of the games, in 2024, the Olympics are the biggest of all sporting events.
France plays an important role given that Coubertin was French. Additionally, the second iteration of the games took place in Paris in 1900, followed by the Paris 1924 Olympics. After a century, the Olympics will return to Paris in 2024 for the third time, beginning from July 26 to August 11. However, France as a country will be hosting the Olympics for the sixth time, including three Winter Olympics in 1924, 1968, and 1992.
Most Olympic Medals Won
American former swimmer Michael Phelps has won the most Olympic medals with 28, including 23 gold, three silver, and two bronze. All of them were won at the Summer Olympics between 2004 and 2016.
Following Phelps in terms of medals won, the next is gymnast Larisa Latynina with 18, then cross-country skier Marit Bjørgen and gymnast Nikolai Andrianov, both tying for third place with 15 medals. Aside from owning the record number of medals overall, Phelps has won more individual events than any other Olympian, with 16 total, including 13 golds.
Interestingly, out of the only 35 athletes who have won 10 or more Olympic medals, nine are American, though it makes sense since they have the most number of Olympic medals ever won as a nation, totaling 2,638 as of June 2024.
Regardless, Phelps retired from sports in August 2016, after the Games in Rio de Janeiro, and has shifted his focus to mental health awareness and parenthood. Further, he is also involved in philanthropy through the 2008 established "Michael Phelps Foundation," which works to encourage healthier living and the growth of swimming as a sport.
Read More : Olympic tickets
List of Most Olympic Medals Won
The list of athletes who have won eight or more Olympic medals is as follows:
| No. | Athlete | Nation | Sport | Years | Games | Gender | Total |
| 1 | Michael Phelps | United States | Swimming | 2004–2016 | Summer | M | 28 |
| 2 | Larisa Latynina | Soviet Union | Gymnastics | 1956–1964 | Summer | F | 18 |
| 3 | Marit Bjørgen | Norway | Cross-country skiing | 2002–2018 | Winter | F | 15 |
| 4 | Nikolai Andrianov | Soviet Union | Gymnastics | 1972–1980 | Summer | M | |
| 5 | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Norway | Biathlon | 1998–2014 | Winter | M | 13 |
| 6 | Boris Shakhlin | Soviet Union | Gymnastics | 1956–1964 | Summer | M | |
| 7 | Edoardo Mangiarotti | Italy | Fencing | 1936–1960 | Summer | M | |
| Ireen Wüst | Netherlands | Speed skating | 2006–2022 | Winter | F | ||
| 9 | Takashi Ono | Japan | Gymnastics | 1952–1964 | Summer | M | |
| 10 | Paavo Nurmi | Finland | Athletics | 1920–1928 | Summer | M | 12 |
| 11 | Birgit Fischer | East Germany | Canoeing | 1980–2004 | Summer | F | |
| Bjørn Dæhlie | Norway | Cross-country skiing | 1992–1998 | Winter | M | ||
| 13 | Sawao Katō | Japan | Gymnastics | 1968–1976 | Summer | M | |
| Jenny Thompson | United States | Swimming | 1992–2004 | Summer | F | ||
| 15 | Isabell Werth | Germany | Equestrian | 1992–2020 | Summer | F | |
| 16 | Ryan Lochte | United States | Swimming | 2004–2016 | Summer | M | |
| 17 | Dara Torres | United States | Swimming | 1984–2008 | Summer | F | |
| 18 | Alexei Nemov | Russia | Gymnastics | 1996–2000 | Summer | M | |
| 19 | Natalie Coughlin | United States | Swimming | 2004–2012 | Summer | F | |
| 20 | Mark Spitz | United States | Swimming | 1968–1972 | Summer | M | 11 |
| 21 | Matt Biondi | United States | Swimming | 1984–1992 | Summer | M | |
| 22 | Věra Čáslavská | Czechoslovakia | Gymnastics | 1960–1968 | Summer | F | |
| 23 | Viktor Chukarin | Soviet Union | Gymnastics | 1952–1956 | Summer | M | |
| Allyson Felix | United States | Athletics | 2004–2020 | Summer | F | ||
| 25 | Carl Osburn | United States | Shooting | 1912–1924 | Summer | M | |
| 26 | Emma McKeon | Australia | Swimming | 2016–2020 | Summer | F | |
| 27 | Arianna Fontana | Italy | Short track speed skating | 2006–2022 | Winter | F | |
| 28 | Carl Lewis | United States | Athletics | 1984–1996 | Summer | M | 10 |
| 29 | Katie Ledecky | United States | Swimming | 2012–2020 | Summer | F | |
| 30 | Aladár Gerevich | Hungary | Fencing | 1932–1960 | Summer | M | |
| 31 | Akinori Nakayama | Japan | Gymnastics | 1968–1972 | Summer | M | |
| 32 | Vitaly Scherbo | Unified Team Belarus | Gymnastics | 1992–1996 | Summer | M | |
| 33 | Ágnes Keleti | Hungary | Gymnastics | 1952–1956 | Summer | F | |
| Gary Hall Jr. | United States | Swimming | 1996–2004 | Summer | M | ||
| 35 | Polina Astakhova | Soviet Union | Gymnastics | 1956–1964 | Summer | F | |
| 36 | Raisa Smetanina | Soviet Union Unified Team | Cross-country skiing | 1976–1992 | Winter | F | |
| 37 | Allison Schmitt | United States | Swimming | 2008–2020 | Summer | F | |
| 38 | Alexander Dityatin | Soviet Union | Gymnastics | 1976–1980 | Summer | M | |
| 39 | Stefania Belmondo | Italy | Cross-country skiing | 1992–2002 | Winter | F | |
| 40 | Franziska van Almsick | Germany | Swimming | 1992–2004 | Summer | F | |
| 41 | Jason Kenny | Great Britain | Cycling | 2008–2020 | Summer | M | 9 |
| 42 | Hubert Van Innis | Belgium | Archery | 1900–1920 | Summer | M | |
| Lyubov Yegorova | Unified Team Russia | Cross-country skiing | 1992–1994 | Winter | F | ||
| 44 | Valentina Vezzali | Italy | Fencing | 1996–2012 | Summer | F | |
| 45 | Nadia Comăneci | Romania | Gymnastics | 1976–1980 | Summer | F | |
| Ian Thorpe | Australia | Swimming | 2000–2004 | Summer | M | ||
| 47 | Claudia Pechstein | Germany | Speed skating | 1992–2006 | Winter | F | |
| 48 | Mitsuo Tsukahara | Japan | Gymnastics | 1968–1976 | Summer | M | |
| 49 | Alexander Popov | Unified Team Russia | Swimming | 1992–2000 | Summer | M | |
| 50 | Sixten Jernberg | Sweden | Cross-country skiing | 1956–1964 | Winter | M | |
| Ludmilla Tourischeva | Soviet Union | Gymnastics | 1968–1976 | Summer | F | ||
| 52 | Sven Kramer | Netherlands | Speed skating | 2006–2018 | Winter | M | |
| 53 | Charlotte Kalla | Sweden | Cross-country skiing | 2010–2018 | Winter | F | |
| 54 | Anky van Grunsven | Netherlands | Equestrian | 1992–2012 | Summer | F | |
| Leisel Jones | Australia | Swimming | 2000–2012 | Summer | F | ||
| 56 | Giulio Gaudini | Italy | Fencing | 1928–1936 | Summer | M | |
| Alexander Bolshunov | Olympic Athletes from Russia ROC | Cross-country skiing | 2018–2022 | Winter | M | ||
| 58 | Alfred Swahn | Sweden | Shooting | 1908–1924 | Summer | M | |
| Eizo Kenmotsu | Japan | Gymnastics | 1968–1976 | Summer | M | ||
| 59 | Mikhail Voronin | Soviet Union | Gymnastics | 1968–1972 | Summer | M | |
| 60 | Uschi Disl | Germany | Biathlon | 1992–2006 | Winter | F | |
| 61 | Heikki Savolainen | Finland | Gymnastics | 1928–1952 | Summer | M | |
| 62 | Yuri Titov | Soviet Union | Gymnastics | 1956–1964 | Summer | M | |
| 63 | Merlene Ottey | Jamaica | Athletics | 1980–2000 | Summer | F | |
| 64 | Ray Ewry | United States | Athletics | 1900–1908 | Summer | M | 8 |
| Usain Bolt | Jamaica | Athletics | 2008–2016 | Summer | M | ||
| 66 | Gert Fredriksson | Sweden | Canoeing | 1948–1960 | Summer | M | |
| Danuta Kozák | Hungary | Canoeing | 2008–2020 | Summer | F | ||
| 68 | Reiner Klimke | United Team of Germany West Germany | Equestrian | 1964–1988 | Summer | M | |
| Ahn Hyun-Soo Viktor Ahn | South Korea Russia | Short track speed skating | 2006–2014 | Winter | M | ||
| 70 | Ville Ritola | Finland | Athletics | 1924–1928 | Summer | M | |
| 71 | Elisabeta Lipă | Romania | Rowing | 1984–2004 | Summer | F | |
| Johannes Thingnes Bø | Norway | Biathlon | 2018–2022 | Winter | M | ||
| 73 | Bradley Wiggins | Great Britain | Cycling | 2000–2016 | Summer | M | |
| Nathan Adrian | United States | Swimming | 2008–2016 | Summer | M | ||
| 75 | Dawn Fraser | Australia | Swimming | 1956–1964 | Summer | F | |
| Kornelia Ender | East Germany | Swimming | 1972–1976 | Summer | F | ||
| 77 | Otto Olsen | Norway | Shooting | 1920–1924 | Summer | M | |
| Georges Miez | Switzerland | Gymnastics | 1924–1936 | Summer | M | ||
| Ricco Groß | Germany | Biathlon | 1992–2006 | Winter | M | ||
| Emil Hegle Svendsen | Norway | Biathlon | 2010–2018 | Winter | M | ||
| 81 | Roland Matthes | East Germany | Swimming | 1968–1976 | Summer | M | |
| Galina Kulakova | Soviet Union | Cross-country skiing | 1972–1980 | Winter | F | ||
| Kjetil André Aamodt | Norway | Alpine skiing | 1992–2006 | Winter | M | ||
| Sven Fischer | Germany | Biathlon | 1994–2006 | Winter | M | ||
| Inge de Bruijn | Netherlands | Swimming | 2000–2004 | Summer | F | ||
| Jason Lezak | United States | Swimming | 2000–2012 | Summer | M | ||
| 87 | Giovanna Trillini | Italy | Fencing | 1992–2008 | Summer | F | |
| Cate Campbell | Australia | Swimming | 2008–2020 | Summer | F | ||
| 89 | Katalin Kovács | Hungary | Canoeing | 2000–2012 | Summer | F | |
| 90 | Roger Ducret | France | Fencing | 1920–1928 | Summer | M | |
| Philippe Cattiau | France | Fencing | 1920–1936 | Summer | M | ||
| Karin Enke | East Germany | Speed skating | 1980–1988 | Winter | F | ||
| Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann | Germany | Speed skating | 1992–1998 | Winter | F | ||
| Petria Thomas | Australia | Swimming | 1996–2004 | Summer | F | ||
| Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce | Jamaica | Athletics | 2008–2020 | Summer | F | ||
| 96 | Veronica Campbell-Brown | Jamaica | Athletics | 2000–2016 | Summer | F | |
| 97 | Shirley Babashoff | United States | Swimming | 1972–1976 | Summer | F | |
| 98 | Susie O'Neill | Australia | Swimming | 1992–2000 | Summer | F | |
| Eugen Mack | Switzerland | Gymnastics | 1928-1936 | Summer | M | ||
| 99 | Margit Korondi | Hungary | Gymnastics | 1952–1956 | Summer | F | |
| Sofia Muratova | Soviet Union | Gymnastics | 1956–1960 | Summer | F | ||
| Dmitri Sautin | Unified Team Russia | Diving | 1992–2008 | Summer | M | ||
| Apolo Ohno | United States | Short track speed skating | 2002–2010 | Winter | M | ||
| Tiril Eckhoff | Norway | Biathlon | 2014–2022 | Winter | F |
Read More : Olympic Gold Medal
FAQ's On most Olympic medals
A. Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time, with 28 Olympic medals, including 23 gold medals.
A. Yes, Michael Phelps retired in August 2016.
A. The Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina has won 18 Olympic medals, including nine gold medals, which is the second most of all time.
A. United States has held the most Olympic games eight times: four summer and four winter games in 1904, 1932, 1984, 1996, 1932, 1960, 1980, and 2002.
A. The 2024 Paris Olympics will take place from July 26 to August 11.
