The best in history
The modern Summer Olympics kicked off in 1896. One hundred twenty years later, the United States leads the medal table by a huge margin.
United States
2,403
Soviet Union
1,010
Britain
773
How politics helped the United States
One of the reasons why the U.S. lead is so huge is not just volume (more people, more athletes), but also consistency. Some of its biggest competitors, like Russia or Germany, have suffered too many political changes to contest the title.
Former
Soviet Republics
USA
Germany
Soviet
Union
Germany
573
1,010
Unified
team
West
Germany
East
Germany
Unified
team
Belarus
1,304
Ukraine
Kazakh.
Russia
1,936
2,403
1 medal
5
10
Germany
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
The Russian Empire
is not an equivalent
to Russia. Its extension
was more similar to the
Soviet Union than it is to
the current nation.
Russian
Empire
Estonia
Latvia
89
Soviet Union
Unified team
71
For 1956 to 1964,
Germany competes as
a unified team, though
it’s already separated.
98
103
42
96
50
FRG
GDR
91
Many of the former
Soviet republics
participated in
Barcelona 1992 as
a unified team.
99
40
66
The Soviet Union and
other communist
countries didn’t
participate in
Los Angeles 1984.
125
39
90
198
126
60
Unified
team
132
47
102
GER
112
82
63
65
89
46
90
50
73
41
80
44
KGZ
LAT
EST
LTU
BLR
GEO
ARM
TJK
UZB
MDA
AZE
UKR
KAZ
RUS
USA
2,403
Former Soviet republics
Soviet Union
Russia
1,936
1,010
395
Germany
Germany
East
Germany
1,304
573
1 medal
5
10
Germany
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
The Russian Empire
is not an equivalent
to Russia. Its extension
was more similar to the
Soviet Union than it is
to the current nation.
Russian
Empire
Estonia
Latvia
89
Soviet Union
Unified team
71
For 1956 to 1964,
Germany competes as
a unified team, though
it’s already separated.
98
103
42
96
50
FRG
GDR
Baltic
republics
are the first
to compete
alone after
the Soviet
Union era
ends.
91
Many of the former
Soviet republics
participated in
Barcelona 1992 as
a unified team.
99
40
66
The Soviet Union and
other communist
countries decided
not to participate in
Los Angeles 1984.
125
39
90
198
126
60
Unified
team
132
Germany
47
102
112
82
63
65
89
56
90
49
73
41
80
44
KGZ
LAT
EST
LTU
GEO
ARM
TJK
UZB
MDA
AZE
UKR
KAZ
BLR
RUS
USA
2,403
Former Soviet republics
Russia
Soviet Union
1,936
1,010
395
Germany
Germany
West
Germany
East
Germany
1,304
573
Still, even counting all the medals ever won by nations once in the U.S.S.R., the United States would still be No. 1. On the other hand, if we add up all the medals ever won by Germany and the East and West Germanys of the Cold War, the nation would rise from seventh place historically to third place overall.
Citius, Altius, Fortius
If we break down the Summer Olympics disciplines to see what countries are the fastest, the highest (we're showing high and long jumping disciplines plus trampoline), and the strongest, the United States still leads all these categories.
The fastest
The highest
The strongest
Athletes with the most medals
Michael Phelps is, by far, leading this classification, holding twice the golds of his closest competitor. And the swimmer from Baltimore can increase his advantage in Rio 2016.
Michael Phelps
United States
SWIMMING
1
18
2
2
Larisa Latynina
Soviet Union
GYMNASTICS
2
9
5
4
Paavo Nurmi
Finland
TRACK AND FIELD
3
9
3
0
Mark Spitz
9
1
1
9
1
0
Carl Lewis
8
4
0
Birgit Fischer
8
3
1
Sawao Kato
8
3
1
J. Thompson
8
2
1
Matt Biondi
8
0
0
Ray Ewry
1
2
3
Michael Phelps
United States
SWIMMING
Larisa Latynina
Soviet Union
GYMNASTICS
Paavo Nurmi
Finland
ATHLETICS
18
2
2
9
5
4
9
3
0
4th
USA
Swimming
9
1
1
Mark Spitz
9
1
0
5th
USA
Track and field
Carl Lewis
8
4
0
6th
Germany
Canoeing
Birgit Fischer
8
3
1
7th
Japan
Gymnastics
Sawao Kato
8
3
1
7th
USA
Swimming
Janny Thompson
9th
USA
Swimming
8
2
1
Matt Biondi
10th
USA
Track and field
Ray Ewry
8
0
0
As a matter of fact, Phelps has as many golds as countries like Austria have ever won, and more than countries like Jamaica (17) or Mexico (17). He has as many medals (22) as Portugal, and more than Lithuania or Colombia.
Out of the exclusive gold club
A single gold Olympic medal is a huge accomplishment. Most countries have never gotten one, and 75 of them have never won ANY medal in the Summer Olympics. Two (South Sudan and Kosovo) have not yet participated, but will have their debut in Rio.
Countries that have never
won a Summer Olympics medal
AFRICA
Angola
Liberia
Benin
Libya
Madagascar
Burkina Faso
Cape Verde
Malawi
Mali
Central African R.
Chad
Mauritania
Rwanda
Comoros
Congo
S. Tomé and P.
Dem. Rep. Congo
Seychelles
Equatorial Guinea
Sierra Leone
Gambia
Somalia
South Sudan
Guinea
Swaziland
Guinea-Bissau
Lesotho
ASIA
Bangladesh
Myanmar
Bhutan
Oman
Brunei
Palestine
Cambodia
Timor-Leste
Laos
Turkmenistan
Maldives
Yemen
EUROPE
Albania
Liechtenstein
Andorra
Malta
Bosnia and H.
Monaco
Kosovo
San Marino
NORTH AMERICA
Antigua and B.
Honduras
Aruba
Nicaragua
Belize
S. Kitts and N.
Cayman Islands
Saint Lucia
Dominica
S. Vincent & G.
El Salvador
British Virgin I.
OCEANIA
American Samoa
Nauru
Cook Islands
Palau
Micronesia
Papua New G.
Fiji
Samoa
Guam
Solomon I.
Kiribati
Tuvalu
Marshall I.
Vanuatu
SOUTH AMERICA
Bolivia
No medals
No gold medals
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacific
Ocean
Pacific
Ocean
Indian
Ocean
Countries that have never won a Summer Olympics medal
AFRICA
Angola
Liberia
S. Tomé and P.
Congo
Benin
Libya
Seychelles
Dem. Rep. Congo
Madagascar
Burkina Faso
Sierra Leone
Equatorial Guinea
Somalia
Cape Verde
Malawi
Gambia
Mali
South Sudan
Central African R.
Guinea
Swaziland
Chad
Mauritania
Guinea-Bissau
Rwanda
Lesotho
Comoros
ASIA
NORTH AMERICA
Bangladesh
Myanmar
Antigua and B.
Honduras
Bhutan
Oman
Aruba
Nicaragua
Brunei
Palestine
Belize
S. Kitts and N.
Cambodia
Timor-Leste
Cayman Islands
Saint Lucia
Laos
Turkmenistan
Dominica
S. Vincent & G.
Maldives
Yemen
El Salvador
British Virgin I.
OCEANIA
EUROPE
American Samoa
Nauru
Albania
Liechtenstein
Cook Islands
Palau
Andorra
Malta
Micronesia
Papua New G.
Bosnia and H.
Monaco
Fiji
Samoa
Kosovo
San Marino
Guam
Solomon I.
Kiribati
Tuvalu
SOUTH AMERICA
Marshall I.
Vanuatu
Bolivia
No medals
No golds
EUROPE
ASIA
NORTH
AMERICA
Pacific
Ocean
Atlantic
Ocean
AFRICA
SOUTH
AMERICA
Indian
Ocean
Pacific
Ocean
AUSTRALIA
AND OCEANIA
Countries that have never won a Summer Olympics medal
AFRICA
Angola
Liberia
S. Tomé and P.
Congo
Benin
Libya
Seychelles
Dem. Rep. Congo
Madagascar
Burkina Faso
Sierra Leone
Equatorial Guinea
Somalia
Cape Verde
Malawi
Gambia
Mali
South Sudan
Central African R.
Guinea
Swaziland
Chad
Mauritania
Guinea-Bissau
Rwanda
Lesotho
Comoros
ASIA
NORTH AMERICA
Bangladesh
Myanmar
Antigua and B.
Honduras
Bhutan
Oman
Aruba
Nicaragua
Brunei
Palestine
Belize
S. Kitts and N.
Cambodia
Timor-Leste
Cayman Islands
Saint Lucia
Laos
Turkmenistan
Dominica
S. Vincent & G.
Maldives
Yemen
El Salvador
British Virgin I.
OCEANIA
EUROPE
American Samoa
Nauru
Albania
Liechtenstein
Cook Islands
Palau
Andorra
Malta
Micronesia
Papua New G.
Bosnia and H.
Monaco
Fiji
Samoa
Kosovo
San Marino
Guam
Solomon I.
Kiribati
Tuvalu
SOUTH AMERICA
Marshall I.
Vanuatu
Bolivia
Many of these are remote countries or tiny islands. But some aren't. Most African countries have never received a gold medal. Bangladesh, one of the most populated countries in the world with 161 million inhabitants, hasn't even received a medal. But there's an explanation. Bangladesh, has only sent 36 athletes to the Games in all history. The Democratic Republic of Congo, with a population of 77 milliona and also without medals, only 65. Meanwhile, a small country like Norway (5 million inhabitants) sent 61 athletes to London 2012 only.
Burundi is the country with the fewest participants (20) to ever get a medal (and it was a gold!), if we don't count the West Indies Federation (two bronzes, both in 1960, with only 18 participants in history).
On the opposite side is Angola, which has never won a medal despite sending 148 participants to the Olympic Games, the highest number of all. The African nation has participated in all Games since 1980. Still waiting.
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