Olympic Gold Medals List

For Olympic athletes, the ultimate goal is standing on the winner's podium with a gold medal. Athletes put in years of hard work to represent their country at the Olympics. The modern Summer Olympics began in 1896 while the Winter Games got their start in 1924. Since then, thousands of gold medals have been awarded to athletes from around the world.

  1. Summer Olympics - Country

    • The United States holds a comfortable lead on the all-time gold medal leaderboard for the Summer Olympics. Athletes from the U.S. have earned 943 gold medals, more than twice the amount of Russia, which is second with 395 gold medals. Great Britain has captured 216 gold medals, and France is fourth on the list with 211.

    Summer Olympics - Individual

    • Swimmer Michael Phelps has won 16 total medals (14 gold, two bronze).

      American swimmer Michael Phelps is the all-time leader in Summer Olympics gold medals with 14. Phelps also holds the record for most gold medals won in a single Olympics with eight in 2008. American triple/high/long jumper Ray Ewry is second all-time with 10 gold medals won (from 1900-1908). Carl Lewis (USA), Mark Spitz (USA) and Paavo Nurmi (Finland) have each won nine Summer Olympics gold medals. Gymnast Larysa Latynina of Russia has won nine gold medals, which is the most won by a woman in the Summer Olympics.

    Winter Olympics - Country

    • For the Winter Olympics, Norway is the all-time leader with 107 gold medals, followed by the United States (87), Germany (78) and Russia (78). Canada, which has won 52 Winter Olympics gold medals all-time, holds the record for most golds won at a single games with 14 in 2010.

    Winter Olympics - Individual

    • American speed skater Bonnie Blair has won six career medals (five gold, one bronze).

      Norwegian male Bjorn Daehlie is the all-time gold medals leader for the Winter Olympics. The cross country skier won eight gold medals from 1992 to 1998. For men, Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjorndalen is second all-time with six gold medals. Two women share the all-time gold medal lead in the Winter Olympics. Lyubov Yegorova (Russian cross country skier) and Lidiya Skoblikova (Russian speed skater) have each won six gold medals. Speed skaters Bonnie Blair and Eric Heiden hold the American record with five gold medals each.