Who is the all-time most decorated Olympian? Who has competed in the most Olympics? All of your inquiries are addressed.
The Olympics have long been the height of athletic achievement when some competitors achieve enduring reputations and others are only separated from glory by the thinnest of margins - milliseconds and inches. By winning more gold medals than their competitors, Michael Phelps, Larisa Latynina and Usain Bolt have dominated their respective sports at the Olympics. Similarly, other athletes have proved their capabilities by achieving gold medals in the Olympics.
Throughout their 17-year career, American sprint phenom Carl Lewis conquered three Olympic track and field events: the 200-meter sprint, the 100-meter sprint and the long jump. Lewis earned nine Olympic gold medals in four Olympic Games, which is tied for the most in athletics. Lewis added a record-breaking fourth gold in the long jump in his final Olympic appearance at the 1996 Atlanta Games, bringing his total gold medal count to nine.
An American swimming legend, dominated the Olympic pool, winning an incredible nine gold medals in just two competitions. Splitz set a record in 1972 when he won seven gold medals in the Munich Olympics. His record stood until 2008 when his compatriot Michael Phelps beat it with eight golds.
Paavo Nurmi of Finland dominated the early Olympics athletics competitions, winning nine gold medals in three visits. In 1920, the middle and long-distance champion took home three gold medals at his debut Games in Antwerp.
Jenny Thompson of the United States won 12 medals during her Olympic career, eight of which were gold. In addition to earning gold in the 4*In the 200m freestyle, Thompson helped the team maintain the double gold at the 1996 Atlanta Games after winning two golds in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
Due to her longevity, German Kayaker Birgit Fischer participated in six Olympic canoe sprint competitions. Fischer won six gold medals between 1980 and 2004, making history as the youngest and oldest person to win an Olympic gold medal in canoeing.
Caslavska won the gold medal in the All-around event as well as the Vault and Balance Beam titles in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Four years later, in Mexico, Caslavska won first place in both Floor Exercise and Uneven Bars in addition to keeping the Vault gold.
In anticipation of the 2020 Summer Games, Sportstar examines the most successful male and female athletes to win gold in the main competition.
