OLYMPIC GAMES
In which sport has the United States won the most Olympic medals throughout history?
The American delegation has become the most successful in the history of the Olympic Games and Paris 2024 promises to be another big one.
A new edition of the Olympic Games is underway in Paris 2024, following its inauguration on the River Seine. The United States delegation is set to take center stage on French soil, so here are some interesting details about the sports in which they have won the most medals.
Track domination from Team USA
With a total of 2,655 medals throughout the history of the Summer Olympic Games, American athletes have demonstrated their superiority over the rest of the competing countries. This record comes from the International Olympic Committee and includes data up to the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, where the USA won 113 medals in total: 39 gold, 41 silver, and 33 bronze.
The total Olympic medal count for the United States is divided into 1,070 gold, 841 silver, and 744 bronze. It is also important to highlight the editions in which they were most successful throughout their history: Los Angeles 1984, where they won 174 medals (83 gold, 61 silver, and 30 bronze), Tokyo 2021 with 113 medals (39 gold, 41 silver, and 33 bronze), and London 2012, where they secured 104 medals (48 gold, 26 silver, and 30 bronze).
The sport in which the U.S. delegation has won the most medals is Athletics, with a total of 838 medals (346 gold, 272 silver, and 220 bronze), followed by Swimming with 583 medals (257 gold, 182 silver, and 144 bronze). Next are Diving with 141 medals (49 gold, 46 silver, and 46 bronze), Wrestling with 133 medals (54 gold, 43 silver, and 36 bronze), and Gymnastics with 119 medals (39 gold, 44 silver, and 36 bronze).
Athlete with the most medals for the United States
The athlete with the most Olympic medals in history is Michael Phelps, making him the most successful sportsman from the United States. ‘The Baltimore Bullet’ won 28 medals throughout his Olympic appearances (Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016). Phelps made history at the Olympics held in China, where he won eight gold medals, surpassing Mark Spitz’s record of seven golds in Munich 1972.
Following Phelps are Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres, each with 12 Olympic medals. Both were swimmers, but Thompson won eight gold, three silver, and one bronze, while Torres secured four gold, four silver, and four bronze. Thompson’s last appearance was in Athens 2004, and Torres concluded her Olympic career in Beijing 2008.