Athletes Who Made The Olympic Games History

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Ranked #585 in Sports, #18,135 overall

Review of the most famous athletes in the Olympic history

For those who love Olympics, sport and history - I suggest review about famous Olympic champions in Past and Present, greatest persons of their epoch.

This is breif review of the athletes who won the most amount of gold, silver and bronze medals on both Summer and Winter Olympic Games.

You can discover about all medalists on Reference book about all Olympic games winners of the all times.

List of the Olympic Games 

Summer Olympic Games


1896 - Athens, Games of the 1 Olympiad
1900 - Paris, Games of the 2 Olympiad
1904 - St.Louis, Games of the 3 Olympiad
1908 - London, Games of the 4 Olympiad
1912 - Stockholm, Games of the 5 Olympiad
1920 - Antwerp, Games of the 7 Olympiad
1924 - Paris, Games of the 8 Olympiad
1928 - Amsterdam, Games of the 9 Olympiad
1932 - Los Angeles, Games of the 10 Olympiad
1936 - Berlin, Games of the 11 Olympiad
1948 - London, Games of the 14 Olympiad
1952 - Helsinki, Games of the 15 Olympiad
1956 - Melbourne, Games of the 16 Olympiad
1960 - Rome, Games of the 17 Olympiad
1964 - Tokyo, Games of the 18 Olympiad
1968 - Mexico, Games of the 19 Olympiad
1972 - Munich, Games of the 20 Olympiad
1976 - Montreal, Games of the 21 Olympiad
1980 - Moscow, Games of the 22 Olympiad
1984 - Los Angeles, Games of the 23 Olympiad
1988 - Seoul, Games of the 24 Olympiad
1992 - Barcelona, Games of the 25 Olympiad
1996 - Atlanta, Games of the 26 Olympiad
2000 - Sydney, Games of the 27 Olympiad
2004 - Athens, Games of the 28 Olympiad
2008 - Beijing, Games of the 29 Olympiad


Winter Olympic Games


1924 - Chamonix, 1 Winter Olympic Games
1928 - St.Moritz, 2 Winter Olympic Games
1932 - Lake Placid, 3 Winter Olympic Games
1936 - Garmisch-Partenkirchen, 4 Winter Olympic Games
1948 - St.Moritz, 5 Winter Olympic Games
1952 - Oslo, 6 Winter Olympic Games
1956 - Cortina d'Ampezzo, 7 Winter Olympic Games
1960 - Squaw Valley, 8 Winter Olympic Games
1964 - Innsbruck, 9 Winter Olympic Games
1968 - Grenoble, 10 Winter Olympic Games
1972 - Sapporo, 11 Winter Olympic Games
1976 - Innsbruck, 12 Winter Olympic Games
1980 - Lake Placid, 13 Winter Olympic Games
1984 - Sarajevo, 14 Winter Olympic Games
1988 - Calgary, 15 Winter Olympic Games
1992 - Albertville, 16 Winter Olympic Games
1994 - Lillehammer, 17 Winter Olympic Games
1998 - Nagano, 18 Winter Olympic Games
2002 - Salt Lake City, 19 Winter Olympic Games
2006 - Turin, 20 Winter Olympic Games

1896 - Athens, Games of the 1 Olympiad 

Herman Weingartner and Karl Schumann, Germany



All we know about Spyros Louis from Greece, who became the legend, when he won marathon.
But the gymnast from Germany Herman Weingartner took 5 medals: 3 gold (Bars Team, Horizontal Bars Individual and Team) and 2 bronze (Pommel Horse and Rings).




Next athlete from Germany - Karl Schumann. He won 3 gold medals in Gymnastics (Vault, Bars Team and Horizontal Bars Team) and 1 gold in Classic Wresling.

1900 - Paris, Games of the 2 Olympiad 

Alvin Kraenzlein and Ray Ewry, USA



Star of this Olympic Games was Alvin Kraenzlein. He won 4 gold medals in track and field (60m, 110 m Hurdles, 200m Hurdles and Long Jump).








Ray Ewry from USA took 3 gold medals in track and field (all in Standing High, Long and Triple Jumps).

More about Paris 1900 

The 1900 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in Al Events, With Commentary (Results of the Early Modern Olympics/Bill Mallon, 2)
The 1900 Olympic Games: R...

1904 - St.Louis, Games of the 3 Olympiad 

Anton Heida and Charles Daniels, USA

Gymnast Anton Heida won 6 gold medals (All-around 6 events, All-around 7 events, Pommel Horse, Vault, Horizontal Bar and Rope Climbing) and 1 silver (Bars). Unfortunately, I don't have photo of this athlete.

Swimmer Charles Daniels took 3 gold medals (220y, 440y and 4x50y Freestyle), 1 silver(100y Freestyle) and 1 bronze(50y Freestyle).

1908 - London, Games of the 4 Olympiad 

Melvin Sheppard, USA and Henry Taylor, United Kingdom



Melvin Sheppard took 3 gold medals in Track and Field (800m, 1500 m and unusual for us 200+200+400+800 m Relay).








Swimmer Henry Taylor from United Kingdom also won 3 gold medals (400m, 1500m, 4x200m Relay - all Freestyle).

1912 - Stockholm, Games of the 5 Olympiad 

Wilhelm Karlberg, Sweden and Hannes Kolehmainen, Finland



Scandinavian athletes dominate in Stockholm.
Wilhelm Karlberg from Sweden won 3 gold in Shooting (Rapid Fire Pistol Team, Small Bore Rifle 25m Individual) and 2 silver (Small Bore Rifle 50m Team, Small Bore Singly Pistol or Revolver Team).






Hannes Kolehmainen start epoch of famouse Finland runners. He took 3 gold medals (5000m, 10000m and Cross 12000 m Individual) and 1 bronze (Cross 8000 m Team).

1920 - Antwerp, Games of the 7 Olympiad 

Willis Lee, USA and Hubert van Innis, Belgium and Otto Olse, Norway



Willis Lee from USA won 5 gold in Shooting (all in Team competitions - Army Rifle 3x40, Army Rifle 300m Prone, Army Rifle, 600m, Prone, Army Rifle 300 and 600m Prone, Small Bore Rifle 50m) and 1 silver (Military Rifle 300m Upright Team).





Hubert van Innis took 4 gold medals in Archery (Moving Bird Target 28 m Individual, Moving Bird Target 33 m Individual and Team, Moving Bird Target 50 m Team) and 2 silver (Moving Bird Target 28 m - Team and Moving Bird Target 50 m Individual).



Shooter Otto Olsen from Norway also won 4 gold (Army Rifle 300m Prone Individual, Free Rifle - Running Deer Single Shots Individual, Free Rifle - Running Deer Single Shots Team, Rifle - Running Deer Double Shots Team) and 2 silver (Army Rifle 3x40 Team, Army Rifle 300 and 600m Prone Team).

1924 - Paris, Games of the 8 Olympiad 

Paavo Nurmi and Ville Ritola, Finland



Track and Field's legend Paavo Nurmi won 5 gold medals (1500m, 3000 m Team, 5000m, Cross 10000 m Individual and Team).







His partner Ville Ritola took 4 gold medals (3000 m Team, 10000m, Cross 10000 m Team and 3000 m Steeplechase) and 2 silver (5000m and Cross 10000 m Individual).

1928 - Amsterdam, Games of the 9 Olympiad 

Georges Miez, Switzerland

Gymnast Georges Miez from Switzerland won 3 gold medals (All-Around, Team, Horizontal Bar) and 1 silver (Pommel Horse).

1932 - Los Angeles, Games of the 10 Olympiad 

Romeo Neri, Italy and Helene Madison, USA

Gymnast Romeo Neri from Italy won 3 gold medals (All-around, Team and Bars). Unfortunately, I don't have photo of this athlete.

First our list get a woman. Helene Madison from USA also took 3 gold medals in Swimming (100m, 400m and 4x100m Freestyle).

1936 - Berlin, Games of the 11 Olympiad 

Jesse Owens, USA and Konrad Frey, Germany



4 gold medals (100m, 200m, 4x100m relay and Long Jump) for Jesse Owens, black man in Nazi Germany, became triumph of justice.






Gymnast Konrad Frey from Germany took 3 gold medals (Team, Pommel Horse and Bars), 1 silver (Horizontal Bar) and 2 bronze (All-Around and Floor Exercise).

1948 - London, Games of the 14 Olympiad 

Francina Blankers-Koen, Netherlands

Francina Blankers-Koen from Netherlands won 4 gold medals in Track and Field (100m, 200m, 4x100m, 80m Hurdles).

1952 - Helsinki, Games of the 15 Olympiad 

Viktor Chukarin, USSR

Viktor Chukarin, gymnast from rejoin USSR, won 4 gold medals (All-Around, Team, Pommel Horse, Vault) and 2 silver (Rings and Bars).

1956 - Melbourne, Games of the 16 Olympiad 

Agnes Keleti, Hungary and Larissa Latynina, USSR



Agnes Keleti from Hungary took 4 gold medals in Gymnastics (Floor Exercise, Bars, Balance Beam and Object Exercise) and 2 silver (All-Around and Team).






Larissa Latynina from USSR also won 4 gold medals (All-Around, Team, Floor Exercise and Vault), 1 silver (Bars) and 1 bronze (Object Exercise). This woman now have 18 medals from Olympic Games (9 gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze).

1960 - Rome, Games of the 17 Olympiad 

Boris Shakhlin, USSR

The next wins of the Soviet gymnasts. Boris Shakhlin took 4 gold medals (All-Around, Pommel Horse, Vault, Bars), 2 silver (Team, Rings) and 1 bronze (Horizontal Bar).

1964 - Tokyo, Games of the 18 Olympiad 

Donald Schollander, USA

Heroe of Tokyo was swimmer from USA Donald Schollander who won 4 gold medals (100m, 400m, 4x100m relay, 4x200m relay - all Freestyle).

1968 - Mexico, Games of the 19 Olympiad 

Vara Caslavska, Czechoslovakia and Akinori Nakayama, Japan and Robert Beamon, USA



Vara Caslavska from Czechoslovakia won 4 gold in Gymnastics (All-Around, Floor Exercise, Vault and Bars) and 2 silver (Team and Balance Beam).





Gymnast from Japan Akinori Nakayama also took 4 gold medals (Team, Rings, Bars and Horizontal Bar), 1 silver (Floor Exercise) and 1 bronze (All-Around).






Robert Beamon won only 1 gold medal in Track and Field(Long Jump), but his world record - 8.90 was beat only in 1991.

1972 - Munich, Games of the 20 Olympiad 

Mark Spitz, USA

Heroe of Munich was swimmer from USA Mark Spitz. He won 7 gold medals (100m and 200m Freestyle, 100m and 200m Butterfly, 4x100m and 4x200m Freestyle Relay, 4x100 m Medley Relay).

1976 - Montreal, Games of the 21 Olympiad 

Nikolai Andrianov, USSR and John Naber, USA and Kornelia Ender, GDR



Nikolai Andrianov from USSR won 4 gold in Gymnastics (All-Around, Floor Exercise, Rings and Vault), 2 silver (Team and Bars) and 1 bronze (Pommel Horse).





Swimmer from USA John Naber also took 4 gold medals (100m and 200m Backstroke, 4x200 m Freestyle Relay and 4x100 m Medley Relay) and 1 silver (200 m Freestyle).






And Kornelia Ender from GDR took 4 gold medals in Swimming(100m and 200m Freestyle, 100m Butterfly and 4x100 m Medley Relay) and 1 silver (4x100 m Freestyle Relay).

1980 - Moscow, Games of the 22 Olympiad 

Aleksandr Dityatin, USSR

Soviet gymnast Aleksandr Dityatin won 3 gold medals (All-Around, Team and Rings), 4 silver (Pommel Horse, Vault, Bars and Horizontal Bar) and 1 bronze (Floor Exercise).

1984 - Los Angeles, Games of the 23 Olympiad 

Ekaterina Szabo, Romania and Carl Lewis, USA



Ekaterina Szabo from Romania took 4 gold medals in Gymnastics (Team, Floor Exercise, Vault and Balance Beam) and 1 silver (All-Around).






In 1984 start his career Carl Lewis, who also won 4 gold medals in Track and Field (100m, 200m, 4x100m Relay and Long Jump).

1988 - Seoul, Games of the 24 Olympiad 

Matthew Biondi, USA and Kristin Otto, GDR



Swimmer from USA Matthew Biondi won 5 gold medals (50m, 100m, 4x100 Relay, 4x200 Relay - all Freestyle and 4x100 m Medley Relay), 1 silver (100 m Butterfly) and 1 bronze (200 m Freestyle).






Also in Swimming Kristin Otto took her 6 gold medals (50m, 100m, 4x100m Relay - all Freestyle, 100 m Backstroke, 100 m Butterfly and 4x100 m Medley Relay).

1992 - Barcelona, Games of the 25 Olympiad 

Vitaly Scherbo, Unified Team - former USSR

Gymnast from former USSR Vitaly Scherbo won 6 gold medals (All-Around, Team, Pommel Horse, Rings, Vault and Bars).

1996 - Atlanta, Games of the 26 Olympiad 

Amy Van Dyken, USA and Michelle Smith, Ireland



Amy Van Dyken from USA won 4 gold medals in Swimming (50m, 100m, 4x100 Relay - all Freestyle and 4x100 m Medley Relay).






Also in Swimming Michelle Smith took 3 gold medals (400 m Freestyle, 200m and 400m 200 m Medley) and 1 bronze (200 m Butterfly).

2000 - Sydney, Games of the 27 Olympiad 

Ian Thorpe, Australia and Inge de Bruijn, Netherlands and Leontien Zijlaard, Netherlands and Jenny Thompson, USA



Swimmer from Australia Ian Thorpe won 3 gold (400m, 4x100m Relay and 4x200m - all Freestyle) and 1 silver (200 m Freestyle).





Inge de Bruijn from Netherlands also took 3 gold medals in Swimming (50m and 100m Freestyle and 100 m Butterfly) and 1 silver (4x100 m Freestyle Relay).






Leontien Zijlaard won 3 gold medal in Cycling (3000 m Individual Pursuit, Individual Time Trial and Individual Road Race) and 1 silver (Track - Points Race).





Jenny Thompson from USA won 3 gold medals (4x100m and 4x200m Relay Freestyle and 4x100 m Medley Relay) and 1 bronze (100 m Freestyle).

2004 - Athens, Games of the 28 Olympiad 

Michael Phelps, USA

Swimmer from USA Michael Phelps won 6 gold medals (100m and 200m Butterfly, 200m and 400m Medley, 4x100 m Medley Relay - preliminary, 4x200 m Freestyle Relay) and 2 bronze (200 m Freestyle and 4x100 m Freestyle Relay).

2008 - Beijing, Games of the 29 Olympiad 

Michael Phelps, USA and Usain Bolt, Jamaica



Swimmer from USA Michael Phelps won 8 gold in Swimming (200 m Freestyle, 100 and 200 m Butterfly, 200 and 400 m Medley, 4x100 m Freestyle Relay, 4x200 m Freestyle Relay and 4x100 m Medley Relay) and became the most famous athlete in history of Olympic games (14 gold medals).









Usain Bolt from Jamaica took 3 gold medals (100m, 200m and 4x100m Relay) and set 3 new world records in Track and Field.

1924 - Chamonix, 1 Winter Olympic Games 

Clas Thunberg, Finland

First star of the Winter Olympic games Clas Thunberg, speed skater from Finland, won 3 gold medals (1500m, 5000m and Four Races Combined), 1 silver (10000m) and 1 bronze (500m).

More about Chamonix 1924 

Allo - Chamonix 1924
Allo - Chamonix 1924

1928 - St.Moritz, 2 Winter Olympic Games 

Clas Thunberg, Finland and Johan Grettumsbrotten, Norway

Speed skater from Finland Clas Thunberg in our list again. He won 2 gold medals (500m and 1500m).

Skier from Norway Johan Grettumsbrotten also took 2 gold medals (18km in Cross-Country and Individual in Nordic Combined).

1932 - Lake Placid, 3 Winter Olympic Games 

John Shea and Irving Jaffee, USA



Speed skater from USA John Shea won 2 gold medals (500m and 1500m).







Also in Speed Skating his partner Irving Jaffee took 2 gold medals (5000 m and 10000m).

1936 - Garmisch-Partenkirchen, 4 Winter Olympic Games 

Ivar Ballangrud, Norway

Ivar Ballangrud, speed skater from Norway won 3 gold medals (500m, 5000m and 10000m) and 1 silver (1500m).

1948 - St.Moritz, 5 Winter Olympic Games 

Richard Button, USA and Barbara Ann Scott, Canada



Nobody in St.Moritz won more one gold. The most known were figure skaters Richard Button from USA, who won 1 gold medal (Single Men)







and Barbara Ann Scott from Canada, who also take 1 gold medal (Single Women).

1952 - Oslo, 6 Winter Olympic Games 

Hjalmar Andersen, Norway

Speed skater from Norway Hjalmar Andersen won 3 gold medals (1500m, 5000m and 10000m).

1956 - Cortina d'Ampezzo, 7 Winter Olympic Games 

Toni Sailer, Austria

Toni Sailer from Austria take 3 gold medals in Alpine Skiing (Downhill, Slalom and Giant Slalom).

1960 - Squaw Valley, 8 Winter Olympic Games 

Yevgeny Grishin and Lydia Skoblikova, USSR



Speed skater from USSR Yevgeny Grishin won 2 gold medals (500m and 1500m).







Also in Speed Skating Lydia Skoblikova from Soviet Union took 2 gold medals (1500 m and 3000m).

1964 - Innsbruck, 9 Winter Olympic Games 

Lydia Skoblikova and Claudia Boyarskikh, USSR



Star of Innsbruck was Lydia Skoblikova, who won all events in Speed Skating - 4 gold medals (500m, 1000m, 1500m and 5000m).







Claudia Boyarskikh from USSR took 3 gold medals in Cross-Country (5km, 10km and 3x5km relay).

More about Innsbruck 1964 

The greatest challenge: 1964 winter Olympics, Innsbruck, Austria

The greatest challenge: 1964 winter Olympics, Innsbruck, Austria

by: Rupert J Mrakawa

Amazon Price: (as of 12/02/2009) Buy Now

Olympic victory;: The story behind the Canadian Bob-Sled Club's incredible victory at the 1964 Winter Olympic Games,

Olympic victory;: The story behind the Canadian Bob-Sled Club's incredible victory at the 1964 Winter Olympic Games,

by: Christopher Ondaatje

Amazon Price: (as of 12/02/2009) Buy Now

1968 - Grenoble, 10 Winter Olympic Games 

Jean-Claude Killy, France

Jean-Claude Killy from France won 3 gold medals in Alpine Skiing (Downhill, Slalom and Giant Slalom).

1972 - Sapporo, 11 Winter Olympic Games 

Galina Kulakova, USSR and Ard Schenk, Netherlands



Galina Kulakova from USSR won 3 gold medals in Cross-Country (5km, 10m and 3x5km relay).







Speed skater from Netherlands Ard Schenk also took 3 gold medals (1500m, 5000m and 10000m).

1976 - Innsbruck, 12 Winter Olympic Games 

Tatiana Averina and Raisa Smetanina, both - USSR and Rosi Mittermaier, West Germany



Tatiana Averina from USSR won 2 gold in Speed Skating (1000m and 3000m) and 2 bronze (500m and 1500m).









In Cross-Country Raisa Smetanina from USSR took 2 gold medals (10km and 4x5km Relay) and 1 silver (5km).






Rosi Mittermaier from West Germany also took 2 gold medals in Alpine Skiing(Downhill and Slalom) and 1 silver (Giant Slalom).

1980 - Lake Placid, 13 Winter Olympic Games 

Eric Heiden, USA

Superstar of Lake Placid became athlete from USA Eric Heiden, who won all events in Speed Skating - 5 gold medals (500m, 1000m, 1500m, 5000m and 10000m).

1984 - Sarajevo, 14 Winter Olympic Games 

Marja-Liisa Hamalainen, Finland

Marja-Liisa Hamalainen from Finland won in Cross-Country 3 gold medals (5km and 10km Classical and 20km Free) and 1 bronze (4x5km Relay).

1988 - Calgary, 15 Winter Olympic Games 

Matti Nykanen, Finland and Yvonne van Gennip, Netherlands



Ski jumper from Finland Matti Nykanen won 3 gold medals (Hill 70 m Individual, Hill 90 m Individual and Team).










Yvonne van Gennip from Netherlands in Speed Skating also took 3 gold medals (1500m, 3000m and 5000m).

1992 - Albertville, 16 Winter Olympic Games 

Ljubov Egorova, Unified Team - former USSR and Bjorn Daehlie and Vegard Ulvang - both Norway



Ljubov Egorova from former USSR won 3 gold in Cross-Country (10km Free Pursuit, 15 km Classical and 4x5km Relay) and 2 silver (5km Classical and 30km Free).









Also in Cross-Country Bjorn Daehlie from Norway took 3 gold medals (15km Free Pursuit, 50km and 4x10km Relay) and 1 silver (30km).






His partner Vegard Ulvang also took 3 gold medals (10km Classical, 30km and 4x10km Relay ) and 1 silver (15km Free Pursuit).

1994 - Lillehammer, 17 Winter Olympic Games 

Ljubov Egorova, Russia and Johann Olav Koss, Norway



Ljubov Egorova from Russia in Cross-Country again won 3 gold medals (5km Classical, 10 km Free Pursuit and 4x5km Relay) and 1 silver (15 km Classical).










Speed skater from Norway Johann Olav Koss also took 3 gold medals (1500m, 5000m and 10000m).

1998 - Nagano, 18 Winter Olympic Games 

Larissa Lasutina, Russia and Bjorn Daehlie, Norway



Larissa Lasutina from Russia in Cross-Country took 3 gold medals (5km Classical, 10 km Free Pursuit and 4x5km Relay), 1 silver (15 km Classical) and 1 bronze (30 km Free).










Skier from Norway Bjorn Daehlie again won 3 gold medals (10 km Classical, 50km and 4x10km Relay) and 1 silver (15 km Free Pursuit).

2002 - Salt Lake City, 19 Winter Olympic Games 

Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, Norway

Ole Einar Bjoerndalen from Norway won in Biathlon all events - 4 gold medals (10km, 12,5km Pursuit, 20km and 4x7,5km Relay).

2006 - Turin, 20 Winter Olympic Games 

Hyun-Soo Ahn and Sun-Yu Jin, both - Korea and Michael Greis, Germany



Hyun-Soo Ahn from Korea won 3 gold in Short Track (1000m, 1500m and 5000m Relay) and 1 bronze (500m).









Also in Short Track Sun-Yu Jin from Korea took 3 gold medals (1000m, 1500m and 3000m Relay).






Michael Greis from Germany in Biathlon also took 3 gold medals (15km Mass start, 20km and 4x7,5km Relay).

So, in your mind, who is the most famous athlete in Olympic games history 

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Links to Olympic Resources: 

International Olympic Committee
Official site of the International Olympic Committee.
All Olympic games winners of the all times
The Reference Book about all Olympic medalists of the all times.
DatabaseOlympics
Source for every Summer and Winter Olympics medal winner.
HickokSports
Everything you wanted to know about sports.

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by igorim

I am Igor. I love Sport, Olympic games, books and history. Oh, my wife and son too :) (more)

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