Most Successful Olympians Of All-Time
The all-time most successful Olympians are mentioned in this article.
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The Olympics have seen countless extraordinary athletes but in all athletes, there are few names that stand out as the undisputed owners of their sport that is why everyone acknowledges them. Their achievements transcend more medals inspiring generations and redefining the boundaries of human potential.
Leading the pack is Michael Phelps, the undisputed king of the swimimng. His dominance is unparalleled with a staggering 28 medals, including 23 gold. His record-breaking performances at the Beijing Olympics, where he clinched eight gold medals, remain a testament to his exceptional talent and unwavering dedication.
Joining Phelps on the podium of greatness is Larisa Latynina, a Soviet gymnast whose grace and power earned her 18 Olympic medals. Her consistency and versatility across multiple disciplines solidified her status as a legendary figure in the world of gymnastics.
Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024: Complete List Of Winners On Day 14
Most Olympic Medals
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Sport | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Michael Phelps | The U.S. | Swimming | 23 | 3 | 2 | 28 |
| 2 | Larisa Latynina | U.S.S.R. | Gymnastics | 9 | 5 | 4 | 18 |
| 3 | Marit Bjørgen | Norway | Cross-country skiing | 8 | 4 | 3 | 15 |
| 4 | Nikolay Andrianov | U.S.S.R. | Gymnastics | 7 | 5 | 3 | 15 |
| 5 | Katie Ledecky | U.S. | Swimming | 9 | 4 | 1 | 14 |
| 6 | Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Norway | Biathlon, Cross-country skiing | 8 | 4 | 1 | 13 |
| 7 | Boris Shakhlin | U.S.S.R. | Gymnastics | 7 | 4 | 2 | 13 |
| 8 | Ireen Wüst | Netherlands | Speed skating | 6 | 5 | 2 | 13 |
| 9 | Edoardo Mangiarotti | Italy | Fencing | 6 | 5 | 2 | 13 |
| 10 | Ono Takashi | Japan | Gymnastics | 5 | 4 | 4 | 13 |
| 11 | Paavo Nurmi | Finland | Biathlon, Cross-country skiing | 9 | 3 | 0 | 12 |
| 12 | Birgit Fischer | Germany | Kayaking | 8 | 4 | 0 | 12 |
| 12 | Bjørn Daehlie | Norway | Cross-country skiing | 8 | 4 | 0 | 12 |
| 14 | Katō Sawao | Japan | Gymnastics | 8 | 3 | 1 | 12 |
| 14 | Jenny Thompson | U.S. | Swimming | 8 | 3 | 1 | 12 |
| 16 | Isabell Werth | Germany | Equestrian | 7 | 5 | 0 | 12 |
| 17 | Ryan Lochte | U.S. | Swimming | 6 | 3 | 3 | 12 |
| 18 | Emma McKeon | Australia | Swimming | 6 | 2 | 4 | 12 |
| 19 | Dara Torres | U.S. | Swimming | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
| 20 | Alexei Nemov | Russia | Gymnastics | 4 | 2 | 6 | 12 |
| 21 | Natalie Coughlin | U.S. | Swimming | 3 | 4 | 5 | 12 |
| 22 | Mark Spitz | U.S. | Swimming | 9 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| 23 | Matthew Biondi | U.S. | Swimming | 8 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| 24 | Věra Čáslavská | Czechoslovakia | Gymnastics | 7 | 4 | 0 | 11 |
| 25 | Viktor Chukarin | U.S.S.R. | Gymnastics | 7 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
| 25 | Allyson Felix | U.S. | Track and field | 7 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
| 25 | Simone Biles | U.S. | Gymnastics | 7 | 2 | 2 | 11 |
| 28 | Carl Townsend Osburn | U.S. | Shooting | 5 | 4 | 2 | 11 |
| 29 | Arianna Fontana | Italy | Speed skating | 2 | 4 | 5 | 11 |
| 30 | Carl Lewis | U.S. | Track and field | 9 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| 31 | Aladár Gerevich | Hungary | Fencing | 7 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| 32 | Nakayama Akinori | Japan | Gymnastics | 6 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 33 | Vitaly Scherbo | Belarus | Gymnastics | 6 | 0 | 4 | 10 |
| 34 | Agnes Keleti | Hungary | Gymnastics | 5 | 3 | 2 | 10 |
| 34 | Gary Hall, Jr. | U.S. | Swimming | 5 | 3 | 2 | 10 |
| 36 | Polina Astakhova | U.S.S.R. | Gymnastics | 5 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 37 | Raisa Smetanina | U.S.S.R. | Cross-country skiing | 4 | 5 | 1 | 10 |
| 38 | Allison Schmitt | U.S. | Swimming | 4 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| 39 | Aleksandr Dityatin | U.S.S.R. | Gymnastics | 3 | 6 | 1 | 10 |
| 40 | Stefania Belmondo | Italy | Cross-country skiing | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| 41 | Franziska van Almsick | Germany | Swimming | 0 | 4 | 6 | 10 |
Most Olympic Gold Medals
| Athlete | Country | Sport | Gold |
| Michael Phelps | U.S. | Swimming | 23 |
| Larisa Latynina | U.S.S.R. | Gymnastics | 9 |
| Katie Ledecky | U.S. | Swimming | 9 |
| Paavo Nurmi | Finland | Biathlon, Cross-country skiing | 9 |
| Caeleb Dressel | U.S. | Swimming | 9 |
| Mark Spitz | U.S. | Swimming | 9 |
| Carl Lewis | U.S. | Track and field | 9 |
| Marit Bjørgen | Norway | Cross-country skiing | 8 |
| Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Norway | Biathlon, Cross-country skiing | 8 |
| Birgit Fischer | Germany | Kayaking | 8 |
| Katō Sawao | Japan | Gymnastics | 8 |
| Jenny Thompson | U.S. | Swimming | 8 |
| Matthew Biondi | U.S. | Swimming | 8 |
| Bjørn Daehlie | Norway | Cross-country skiing | 8 |
| Ray Ewry | U.S. | Track and field | 8 |
| Usain Bolt | Jamaica | Track and field | 8 |
| Nikolay Andrianov | U.S.S.R. | Gymnastics | 7 |
| Boris Shakhlin | U.S.S.R. | Gymnastics | 7 |
| Isabell Werth | Germany | Equestrian | 7 |
| Věra Čáslavská | Czechoslovakia | Gymnastics | 7 |
| Viktor Chukarin | U.S.S.R. | Gymnastics | 7 |
| Allyson Felix | U.S. | Track and field | 7 |
| Aladár Gerevich | Hungary | Fencing | 7 |
| Simone Biles | U.S. | Gymnastics | 7 |
| Jason Kenny | England | Cycling | 7 |
| Svetlana Romashina | Russia | Artistic swimming | 7 |
| Ireen Wüst | Netherlands | Speed skating | 6 |
| Edoardo Mangiarotti | Italy | Fencing | 6 |
| Ryan Lochte | U.S. | Swimming | 6 |
| Emma McKeon | Australia | Swimming | 6 |
| Nakayama Akinori | Japan | Gymnastics | 6 |
| Vitaly Scherbo | Belarus | Gymnastics | 6 |
| Hubert van Innes | Belgium | Archery | 6 |
| Valentina Vezzali | Italy | Fencing | 6 |
| Lyubov Yegorova | Russia | Cross-country skiing | 6 |
| Gerd Fredriksson | Sweden | Canoeing | 6 |
| Danuta Kozak | Hungary | Canoeing | 6 |