The Olympics are a time when the world comes together to celebrate the human spirit and its many accomplishments. One of the most celebrated aspects of the Olympics is the gold medals that are awarded to the athletes who have excelled in their respective sports. While there are many gold medalists in the history of the Olympics, there is one athlete who stands out above the rest.
That athlete is Michael Phelps. Phelps is an American swimmer who has won a total of 28 medals in the Olympics, 23 of which are gold. He is the most decorated Olympian of all time and his achievements in the pool are truly remarkable. Phelps has helped to inspire a new generation of swimmers and his legacy will continue to live on long after he has retired from the sport.
As the games get underway, let's take a look at the athletes with the most gold medals.
First, a bit of history. The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece in 1896. There were only 9 events and 241 athletes from 14 countries. The games were a bit different back then and there were no gold medals awarded. The winner of each event was given an olive wreath.
The first gold medals were awarded at the 1900 Olympics in Paris, France. There were already more events and more athletes by then. The gold medal count continued to grow over the years and peaked at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden when 2,500 athletes from 28 countries competed and the gold medal count reached a whopping total of 174.
That record stood for nearly a century until the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. That's when the games really exploded in popularity. A record 3,600 athletes from 204 countries competed and the gold medal count reached an astounding total of 302.
So, who are the athletes with the most gold medals? Here's a look at the top 10.
1. Michael Phelps - USA - 23 gold medals
2. Larisa Latynina - USSR - 18 gold medals
3. Paavo Nurmi - Finland - 12 gold medals
4. Mark Spitz - USA - 11 gold medals
5. Nikolai Andrianov - USSR - 10 gold medals
6. Carl Lewis - USA - 9 gold medals
7. Steve Redgrave - Great Britain - 5 gold medals
8. Birgit Fischer - Germany - 8 gold medals
9. Joachim Deckarm - West Germany - 7 gold medals
10. Willi Daume - West Germany - 6 gold medals
As you can see, the USA is far and away the leader in gold medals with a total of 233. The USSR is a distant second with 195. Great Britain is in third with 136. Germany is in fourth with 119.
So, who is your favorite Olympian?
