Achieving excellent results in sports is a huge amount of work, and probably not only athletes know this, but also people who are neutral in the sports field. It is the personalities of the 21st century who have gone down in history as the best swimmers in the world that will be discussed in this article.
Who made it to the “best of” list?
Who are they, the best swimmers in the world? The list of the most dexterous and fastest people in this sports industry opens with Michael Phelps, a man who has become a legend due to his special merits in his “water arena.”
The swimmer, a Baltimore native, was born 31 years ago. He had a typical family: his mother was a teacher, his father was a policeman, and two sisters who, like him, attended swimming lessons. As sad as it may be, the parents separated when their son was only 9 years old due to disagreements.
During his career, Michael acquired a simple pair of nicknames: “Baltimore Bullet” and “Flying Fish.” Why was he called that way?
At only fifteen years old, this guy has already managed to set his first world record, playing for the national team at the Olympic Games, despite finishing 5th. Next is a new world record, set just a year after the first age one. By the way, Phelps became the youngest record holder nine times.
The guy’s career began to take off: he was the champion of the Olympic Games twenty-three times and gained about thirty-seven world records. Overall, Michael collected seventy-seven medals, most of them gold.
The guy's popularity grew with every win, every victory. Well-known global brand companies, such as Coca-Cola, Adidas, began to offer him contracts, the sum of which was fabulous.
Ian, as a kind and ambitious young man, sent the bulk of the money he received from victories to low-income or physically unhealthy children.
If we consider the guy’s entire career, then in total there will be about thirteen top world awards that can be received, not counting small competitions.
Over the next years, Ian received more and more awards, broke new and new records, and surprised the whole world, and even himself, with his hard work, kindness, and diligence.
The Olympic flame that has gone out forever
When talking about who the best swimmers in the world are, we cannot help but remember our compatriots. Russian 4-time Olympic champion, 6-time winner of world Championships and champion of the 21st Euro tournament - swimmer
Being a student of the forge of sports talents “Fakel” (Sverdlovsk), he received higher education at the Volgograd University of Physical Education.
For his unsustainable contribution to the development of sports and worthy representation of the native flag at various competitions, he was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, III degree, as well as the Order of Friendship and the title of Honored Master of Sports of the Soviet Union.
Victim mentality
In 1996, a tragic situation occurred that put an end to the swimmer’s career. One warm evening in August, he and his friend Leonid decided to see off two acquaintances. During the voyage, passing by, they heard angry words towards the girls, which provoked the guys. Having stood up for the ladies, they received very serious injuries. Leonid's head was broken, and Alexander had a stab wound with a knife and a blow to the back of the head with a stone. As it turned out later, the knife strike hit a kidney and lung, but the athlete’s trained body was able to cope, and he recovered quickly enough.
After some time, the former Olympic champion resumed training, but he was no longer able to achieve the same results.
Instead of an afterword
To summarize, we can say that the famous and best swimmers in the world discussed in this article are real examples for future generations. At their age, they did incredible things, broke world records and stopped at nothing. One can only envy their determination, intelligence and hard work and strive for their example, try to become more ideal, and never deviate from your goal!
Becoming an Olympic champion at least once in your life is an unattainable dream for many athletes. But some lucky ones manage to win gold, silver and bronze medals not once, not twice, but ten or more times.
We present to you a list of the most titled Olympic champions in the history of sports.
10. Birgit Fischer, Germany
Total medals - 12.
Of these, 8 are gold, 4 are silver, and 0 are bronze.
Here is a photo of the only woman who managed to win at least two medals at five Olympics.
Fischer was 42 when she took gold in the 500m quad and silver in the 500m pair, making her the oldest Olympic champion to compete in canoeing and kayaking.
It’s funny that at the same time, Fischer is also the youngest champion, since she won her first gold in 1980, at the age of 18.
9. Paavo Nurmi, Finland
Total medals - 12.
Of these, 9 are gold, 3 are silver, and 0 are bronze.
This runner was part of a group of athletes from Finland who were called the “Flying Finns.” He quickly gained worldwide fame when he began his career at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics. His smooth and mechanical step at the beginning of the journey gave way to a furious jerk when only a few meters remained to the finish line.
Nurmi set 22 official world records at distances ranging from 1,500 meters to 20 kilometers. He is considered the greatest track and field athlete of all time.
8. Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, Norway
Total medals - 13.
Of these, 8 are gold, 4 are silver, 1 is bronze.
At the 2012 Winter Olympics, Björndalen did not leave his opponents a single chance, winning 4 victories out of 4 possible. He was the first in the world to become an absolute Olympic champion in biathlon.
However, Björndalen received his personal gold medal only 12 years after his finest hour in Salt Lake City. This happened in Sochi in 2014. Then the pride of the Norwegian team managed to beat their nearest rival by a little more than a second, despite one mistake at the start. That year, Björndalen became the oldest winner of an individual biathlon race in the history of the Olympic Games.
More recently, in 2018, the Norwegian athlete announced the end of his sports career.
7. Takashi Ono, Japan
Total medals - 13.
Of these, 5 are gold, 4 are silver, and 4 are bronze.
This Japanese gymnast is one of three Olympians who managed to win at least 4 medals of each value. In addition, he became the first Olympic champion from Japan in artistic gymnastics.
At the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, Takashi Ono was given the honor of reciting the Olympic oath on behalf of all athletes. At the same Olympics, he won his last fifth gold medal.
6. Edoardo Mangiarotti, Italy
Total medals - 13.
Of these, 6 are gold, 5 are silver, and 2 are bronze.
When it comes to fencing, no one comes close to Italian maestro Edoardo Mangiarotti, who has proven to be the most prolific winner at the Olympics and World Championships.
Fencing talent literally runs through the veins of the Mangiarotti family. Edoardo's father was a 17-time Italian champion in epee fencing. He advised his son to become left-handed (although he was naturally right-handed) in order to gain an advantage in sports. Edoardo's fencing style was inconvenient for his opponents.
Mangiarotti began taking fencing lessons at the age of 8. He trained alongside his brother Dario, who is also an accomplished swordsman. And Edoardo won his first gold medal at the age of 17.
5. Boris Shakhlin, USSR
Total medals - 13.
Of these, 7 are gold, 4 are silver, and 2 are bronze.
The top five Olympic athletes who won the largest number of medals included two gymnasts and one gymnast from the USSR. Shahlin is the first of this trio.
Being an orphan, without patronage from above, he managed to reach the sports Olympus, largely thanks to the support of his first coach V.A. Porfiryev, who taught the boy to fight to the last.
For his calm and confident manner during sports competitions, foreign journalists called Shakhlin a “Russian bear.”
4. Marit Bjorgen, Norway
Total medals - 15.
Of these, 8 are gold, 4 are silver, and 3 are bronze.
Although Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina has more Olympic medals than Bjorgen, the Norwegian skier is the most decorated athlete in the Winter Olympics. She is considered the strongest female skier in modern history.
However, the name Marit Bjørgen is also associated with high-profile scandals. In 2009, she received permission from the FIS to use asthma medications that contained doping substances, including formoterol. This displeased many other athletes. For example, Polish skier Justyna Kowalczyk said that without the help of drugs, Bjorgen would not have been able to achieve her current stunning results.
3. Nikolay Andrianov, USSR
Total medals - 15.
Of these, 7 are gold, 5 are silver, and 3 are bronze.
His first coach, Nikolai Tolkachev, played a huge role in Adrianov’s brilliant career. He persuaded the boy not to quit gymnastics, and even helped him with homework and attended parent-teacher meetings. And Tolkachev’s efforts paid off handsomely. His student became a multiple world, USSR and European champion.
Until 2008, this Soviet athlete held the title of absolute record holder for the number of Olympic medals, until American Michael Phelps received his 16th medal.
2. Larisa Latynina, USSR
Total medals - 18.
Of these, 9 are gold, 5 are silver, and 4 are bronze.
This multiple Olympic champion helped establish the Soviet Union as the dominant force in gymnastics.
Although Michael Phelps beat her in total medals, Latynina's record for the most medals received in individual events (14) remains unsurpassed.
Latynina was so devoted to the sport that she competed at the 1958 World Championships in Moscow while four months pregnant. Her performances combined the grace and spectacle of dance with the stability and skill of an experienced athlete.
In 1966, Latynina became the coach of the USSR national artistic gymnastics team. Her team won gold three times during the 1968, 1972 and 1976 Olympic Games.
1. Michael Phelps, USA
Total medals - 28.
Of these, 23 are gold, 3 are silver, and 2 are bronze.
The clear winner in the ranking of the most decorated Olympic champions is American swimmer Michael Phelps. He boasts both the most Olympic gold medals and the most medals overall. He has been called "the greatest Olympian of all time."
“The Baltimore Bullet” (this is one of Phelps’ nicknames) became the only 23-time Olympic champion in sports history. However, other Olympians have a chance to surpass this achievement, since after the Rio Olympics in 2016, Phelps announced his final retirement from the sport.
Why is he so good?
Michael Phelps' advantages are his height, weight, and the length of his arms and legs. Its long torso and short legs reduce resistance to body movement in the water and allow it to swim forward as quickly as possible. However, he wears size 47 shoes.
Phelps has an arm span of 203 cm and a height of 193 cm. While still a schoolboy, he could hug five classmates in one fell swoop. Noticing this feature, useful for a swimmer, coach Bob Bowman invited the young man to the swimming section.
If ordinary people are 80% water, then Phelps is 90%. He even got into the Guinness Book of Records as an athlete who can drink more liquid than he weighs - 91 liters.
And his heart is able to pump about 30 liters of blood per minute. Thanks to this, the most titled athlete in history quickly recovered from intense swims.
Taking part in the Olympic Games is an honor for any athlete. Victory in these competitions forever enters the name of the tablet of history. But among these legendary personalities there are also those who managed to reach the top of the Olympic podium more than once.
01
Mark Spitz
Mark Spitz, USA, swimming, 9 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medal. He became the first person to win 7 gold medals in just one Olympics (Munich 1972). Only Michael Phelps surpassed him in this achievement. It is noteworthy that Spitz not only won the competition, but also set 7 world records (33 in his entire career). Three times - in 1969, 1971 and 1972 - he was recognized as the best swimmer in the world.
02
Carl Lewis
Carl Lewis, USA, athletics (sprint and long jump), 9 gold and 1 silver medal. He is one of the few who was able to win gold at four Olympics in a row in the same discipline - the long jump (in 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996). It is interesting that he received one of the highest awards by accident: in 1988 in Seoul, he came second to the finish line in the 100 m race, but the winner was subsequently disqualified. Lewis was named the best athlete in the world three times (in 1982, 1983 and 1984).
03
Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps, USA, swimming, 23 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals. He is the holder of 7 world records (50-meter pool/long course: 100 m and 200 m butterfly, 400 m medley, 4x100-meter freestyle relay, 4x200-meter freestyle relay, 4x100-meter medley relay; 25-meter pool/short course: 4x100m medley relay). In total, he set 39 world records during his career. He has been competing at the Olympic Games since 2000 (Sydney), then he did not win a single medal. But already at the Olympics in Athens in 2004 he won 6 gold and 2 bronze medals. In 2008 in Beijing, he won all 8 swims in which he took part.
04
Larisa Latynina
Larisa Latynina, USSR, artistic gymnastics, 9 gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze medals. Absolute Olympic champion in 1956 and 1960, she still remains the owner of the largest collection of Olympic awards among women. In 1964, she won gold medals in the team championship and in the floor exercise, but in the overall championship she still lost first place to Vera Caslavskaya from Czechoslovakia. After those significant victories, she coached the USSR Olympic gymnastics team (in 1968, 1972, 1976).
05
Paavo Nurmi
Paavo Nurmi, Finland, athletics (middle and long distance running), 9 gold and 3 silver medals. This is one of the most outstanding athletes of the early 20th century. Already at his first Olympics in 1920 in Antwerp, he received three top awards, and at the second, in Paris, he added five more gold medals to his collection. And in between, he broke world records several times at distances from 1,500 to 20,000 m. In 1923-1924, he was the best in the world at distances of 1 mile, 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 m. During his career, he set 22 official and 13 unofficial world records.
06
Birgit Fischer
Birgit Fischer, GDR/Germany, kayaking and canoeing, 8 gold and 4 silver medals. She is the only athlete, either female or male, to win 12 Olympic medals in rowing. Having competed and won at the Olympics for 24 years, she became the youngest (18 years old in 1980) and oldest (42 years old in 2004) Olympic champion in kayaking and canoeing.
07
Jenny Thompson
Jenny Thompson, USA, swimming, 8 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze medal. She received almost all of her awards in relay races, with only silver in 1992 in Barcelona and bronze in 2000 in Sydney at a distance of 100 m freestyle becoming “personal” for her. She is also an 18-time world champion. Currently she has completed her career and works as an anesthesiologist.
08
Sawao Kato
Sawao Kato, Japan, artistic gymnastics, 8 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze medal. The most decorated male gymnast and the most decorated Asian athlete in Olympic history, he made his Olympic debut in 1968 in Mexico City and immediately won 3 gold medals. He repeated his success at the Games in Munich. The third Olympics brought him “only” two golds. In 1970 and 1974 he became the world champion in the team championship.
09
Matt Biondi
Matt Biondi, USA, swimming, 8 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medal. Twice the world's best swimmer (in 1986 and 1988), he competed in the 50 and 100 m distances. The pinnacle of his career was the 1988 Games in Seoul, where he won five gold medals, a silver and a bronze. He received most of his awards thanks to his participation in relay races; as a member of the relay team, he also became a world record holder.
10
Ray Urey
Ray Urey, USA, athletics (long and high jump), 8 gold medals. As a child, this track and field athlete contracted polio and had to use a wheelchair for some time. The course of treatment included leg exercises, including jumping. This fascinated him so much that he managed to become a 15-time US champion in standing jumping from 1898 to 1910, until they were cancelled. Yuri took part in four Summer Olympics
11
Ole Einar Bjoerndalen
Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, Norway, biathlon, 8 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze medal. Since childhood, he was fond of sports, played handball, javelin throwing, cycling, and only then came to biathlon, where he achieved incredible results. Since 1994, he has taken part in six Olympics, winning 8 gold medals (and if at the first in Lillehammer he was unable to show decent results, then in 2002 in Salt Lake City he already became the absolute Olympic champion in biathlon - the only one in the world ). In addition, he won victories at the world championships 21 times, including once in summer biathlon.
12
Bjorn Delhi
Bjorn Delhi, Norway, skiing, 8 gold, 4 silver medals. His successes were evenly distributed between three Olympics: 1992, 1994 and 1998. At the same time, he is one of two athletes who managed to win the most prestigious 50 km race at the Olympic Games twice (in 1992 and 1998). Previously, only Swede Sixten Jernberg succeeded in this at the 1956 and 1964 Games. The 9-time world champion ended his career in 2001 due to a previous back injury.
The 2016 Olympics in Rio collects a lot of news every day. We follow the performances of our athletes with anxiety and special pride, rejoice with them and accept defeats with everyone. But our history contains a lot of stories, which then become an example of perseverance, perseverance and zeal for many generations to come. And every new day of the current Olympiad adds new ones. We want to remember the most incredible athletes in our country who brought home a record number of gold medals and still remain the undisputed leaders in this championship.
Latynina Larisa, artistic gymnastics
Larina Latynina is one of the most famous Russian figures in the history of the Olympic Games. To date, she maintains her position as the only gymnast to have won at three Olympics in a row: Melbourne (1956), Rome (1960) and Tokyo (1964). She is a unique athlete who has 18 Olympic medals, among which the largest number of gold medals is 9. Larisa's sports career began in 1950. While still a schoolgirl, Larisa completed her first category as part of the Ukrainian national team, after which she went to the All-Union Championship in Kazan. Thanks to subsequent intensive training, Latynina fulfilled the standard of a master of sports in the 9th grade. After graduating from school, Larisa was sent a call to the all-Union training camp in Bratsevo, where the USSR national team was preparing for the World Festival of Youth and Students in Bucharest. The young athlete passed the qualifying competitions with dignity and then received a woolen suit with a white “Olympic” stripe on the neck and the letters “USSR”.
Larisa Latynina received her first international gold medals in Romania. And on December 3, 1956, Larisa went to the Olympics in a team with P. Astakhova, L. Kalinina, T. Manina, S. Muratova, L. Egorova. It is worth noting that all members of the cast made their debut at the Olympics. And there, in Melbourne, Larisa became the absolute Olympic champion. And already in 1964, Larisa Latynina went down in history as the winner of 18 Olympic awards.
Tokyo, 1964
Egorova Lyubov, cross-country skiing
Lyubov Egorova - six-time Olympic champion in cross-country skiing (1992 - at distances of 10 and 15 km and as a member of the national team, 1994 - at distances of 5 and 10 km and as a member of the national team), multiple world champion, winner of the 1993 World Cup . The athlete was recognized as the best athlete in Russia in 1994.
While still at school, Lyubov discovered a passion for skiing. Already in the 6th grade she studied under the guidance of coach Nikolai Kharitonov. She took part in a variety of city competitions many times. At the age of 20, Lyubov joined the USSR national team. In 1991, at the World Championships in Cavales, the skier had her first success. Lyubov became the world champion as part of the relay, and then showed the best time in the 30-kilometer race. Despite the fact that the skier came eleventh in the 15-kilometer race, already in the relay Egorova overtook all her rivals, and at a distance of 30 km she became the best (time - 1 hour 20 minutes 26.8 seconds) and received a gold medal.
In 1992, Lyubov took part in the Olympic Games in France, where she managed to get a gold medal in the 15-kilometer race. She also won gold in both the 10-kilometer race and the relay. In 1994, in Norway, at the Winter Olympics, Egorova came first in the 5 km distance. In the 10 km race, the Russian athlete fought against a strong rival from Italy, who gave up only closer to the finish line, allowing Egorova to get gold. And in the 4x5 km relay race, Russian girls again showed themselves and took first place. As a result, at the Norwegian Winter Games, Lyubov Egorova again becomes a three-time Olympic champion. Upon returning to St. Petersburg, the six-time Olympic champion was greeted with all honors: Anatoly Sobchak presented the winner with the keys to a new apartment, and by Decree of the President of Russia, the famous racer was awarded the title of Hero of Russia.
Lillehammer, 1994
Skoblikova Lidiya, speed skating
Lidia Pavlovna Skoblikova is a legendary Soviet speed skater, the only six-time Olympic champion in the history of speed skating, and the absolute champion of the 1964 Olympics in Innsbruck. Even at school, Lida was seriously involved in skiing, participating in the section from the third grade. But after several years of training and hard work, skiing seemed to Skoblikova to be too slow a sport. The athlete came to speed skating by accident. One day, her friend, who skates, asked her to participate in city competitions with her. Skoblikova had neither experience nor serious training, but participation in those competitions turned out to be successful for her, and she took first place.
The first victory of the young speed skater happened in January 1957, in the Russian championship among girls. After this victory, Lydia began to train even harder. And in 1960, in Squaw Valley, at the Winter Olympic Games, Lydia was able to leave behind all the strong athletes, moreover, she won with a world record. At the same Olympics, the speed skater managed to get another gold for a distance of three kilometers. And at the Olympic Games in Innsbruck (1964, Austria), Skoblikova showed an incredible result in the history of speed skating, winning all four distances, and at the same time setting Olympic records in three (500, 1000 and 1500 m). Also in 1964, Skoblikova convincingly won the World Speed Skating Championships (Sweden), again winning in all four distances. Such an achievement (8 gold medals out of 8) cannot be surpassed, it can only be repeated. In 1964 she was awarded the second Order of the Red Banner of Labor.
Innsbruck, 1964
Davydova Anastasia, synchronized swimming
Anastasia Davydova is the only athlete in history to win 5 Olympic gold medals, competing under the Russian flag, and the only five-time Olympic champion in the history of synchronized swimming. Initially, Anastasia was involved in rhythmic gymnastics, but later, with the help of her mother, Davydova began attending synchronized swimming training. And already in 2000, at the age of 17, Anastasia immediately won the highest award in the group program at the European Championships in Helsinki.
And Anastasia won all her Olympic duet awards in pairs with another famous synchronized swimmer, Anastasia Ermakova. At her first Olympic Games, held in Athens, Davydova won two gold medals. At the Beijing Olympics, held in 2008, synchronized swimmers repeated their triumph and won two more golds. In 2010, the International Aquatics Federation recognized Anastasia as the best synchronized swimmer of the decade. The 2012 Olympic Games, which took place in London, made Anastasia Davydova a record holder - she became the only five-time Olympic champion in synchronized swimming in history. At the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games, she was entrusted with carrying the flag of the Russian team.
Beijing, 2008
Popov Alexander, swimming
Alexander Popov is a Soviet and Russian swimmer, four-time Olympic champion, six-time world champion, 21-time European champion, a legend of Soviet and Russian sports. Alexander got into the sports section by accident: his parents took their son to swimming just like that, “for his health.” And this event turned into incredible victories for Popov in the future. Training became more and more fascinating to the future champion, taking up all his free time, which negatively affected the young athlete’s studies. But it was too late to give up sports for the sake of grades in school subjects. At the age of 20, Popov won his first victories; they turned out to be 4 gold medals. This happened at the European Championships in 1991, which took place in Athens. He managed to win at distances of 50 and 100 meters in two relay races. This year brought the first victory in a series of brilliant achievements by the Soviet swimmer.
The 1996 Olympics, held in Atlanta, brought the swimmer worldwide fame. Alexander won two gold medals for 50 and 100 meters. This victory turned out to be especially bright because it was promised to the American swimmer Gary Hall, who was then in his best shape and beat Alexander in the preliminary competitions. The Americans were confident of victory, they openly announced this in the press, even Bill Clinton and his family came to support their athlete! But the “gold” ended up in the hands not of Hall, but of Popov. The disappointment of the Americans, who had savored their victory in advance, was enormous. And then Alexander became a legend.
Atlanta, 1996
Pozdnyakov Stanislav, fencing
Stanislav Alekseevich Pozdnyakov is a Soviet and Russian saber fencer, four-time Olympic champion, 10-time world champion, 13-time European champion, five-time World Cup winner, five-time Russian champion (in individual competitions) in saber fencing. As a child, Stanislav was very active - he played football, swam, skated in winter, and played hockey. For some time, the young athlete continued to do everything at once, rushing from one sport to another. But one day his mother took Pozdnyakov to the Spartak stadium, where the Olympic reserve fencing school for children and youth was located. The phrase “Olympic reserve” won over his parents, and Stanislav began studying there. Under the guidance of mentor Boris Leonidovich Pisetsky, Stanislav began to learn the fencing alphabet. The young fencer showed character in fights and always tried to win.
Pozdnyakov made his first successes at the All-Russian and All-Union levels in Novosibirsk, in youth tournaments. Then he made it to the United Independent States team and went to Barcelona for his first Olympic Games. And in 1996 in Atlanta he achieved absolute success, winning gold in both individual and team tournaments.
Atlanta, 1996
Tikhonov Alexander, biathlon
Alexander Tikhonov is the pride of world and domestic sports, a biathlon star, winner of four Olympics, an outstanding champion. Diagnosed with congenital heart disease, Alexander became an outstanding athlete in our country. Skiing has been present in the life of the future Olympic champion since childhood. Their parents set an example for their four sons: mother Nina Evlampievna, who worked as an accountant, and father Ivan Grigorievich, who taught physical education at school. Repeatedly participating in regional ski competitions held among teachers, he became a winner. At the age of 19, Alexander won the national junior ski competitions at distances of 10 and 15 km. The year 1966 became very significant in the fate of the athlete, because... this year Tikhonov suffered a leg injury and switched to a biathlete career.
Alexander's debut happened in 1968 in Grenoble, where the Olympic Games were held. A young athlete, unknown to anyone, wins a silver medal in the 20 km race, losing in shooting to the Norwegian Magna Solberg by some half a millimeter - the price of two penalty minutes and a gold medal. After this performance, Alexander was entrusted with the first stage of the relay, which the Olympic champion, the famous Vladimir Melanin, was supposed to run. Thanks to his confident shooting and daring running, Tikhonov receives the title of Olympic champion! The Olympic Games in Lake Placid in 1980 were Tikhonov's fourth and last. At the opening ceremony, Alexander carried the banner of his country. It was this Olympics that became the golden crown of his long journey in sports. Then Tikhonov became the first four-time winner of the Olympic Games in the history of domestic sports, after which, at the age of 33, he was forced to decide to end his sports career.
Aug 20, 2016 Sep 8, 2017 by vaulter
The history of the modern Olympic Games goes back 120 years. It was in 1894 that the decision was made in Paris to revive the Olympic Games. Over its long history, the Olympic movement has transformed from chaotic and unpopular competitions into the main sports festival of the planet. Hundreds of athletes have become famous and great thanks to their success at the Olympic Games. Thousands of athletes were awarded the titles of Olympic champions and medalists. However, in the history of the Games there are also those who, with their awards and dedication to sport, made the greatest contribution to the development of the Olympic Games.
We present to your attention the ten most titled Olympic champions from 1894 to 2016.
The 10 athletes who are presented below are determined by the number of gold medals, and not by the total number of awards won!!! Silver and bronze medals are of secondary importance. This is exactly the approach used in the unofficial team competition at the Olympic Games.
And immediately a certificate. Where's Bolt? The fastest man on the planet, Usain Bolt, won 3 gold medals at three Olympic Games. From the Games in Beijing to the Olympics in Rio, Bolt always won at distances of 100 and 200 meters, and also won gold in the 4 x 100 m relay as part of the Jamaican national team. Unfortunately, Bolt was deprived of one gold medal. A prohibited substance was found in the doping test of Bolt’s national team colleague, Nest Carter, who was a participant in the relay in 2008, and the Jamaican team was deprived of Beijing gold, and Bolt became an eight-time Olympic champion. In terms of the number of medals, Bolt is not in the TOP 10.
10-9 places. Jenny Thompson and Saavo Kato
Ninth and tenth places were shared between Jenny Thompson and Japanese Saavo Kato. The athletes won 8 gold medals. But Thompson won them in the swimming competition, and Kato won the Olympic gymnastics competition 8 times. In addition, the athletes have 3 silvers and one bronze.
Can rightfully be called a “team player”. Since the athlete won almost all her medals in relay races. Thompson's first Olympic triumph came at the Olympic Games in Barcelona, where the swimmer won 2 gold medals in two 4x100 m relay races (freestyle and medley). Also in Catalonia, the American became second in the 100 m freestyle. In Atlanta in 1996, the swimmer not only repeated the achievement of four years ago, but also increased it. Jenny Tomposn won 3 gold medals in three relay races: 4x100 m and 4x200 m freestyle, combined 4x100 m. In Sydney Olympics, the athlete, as if a carbon copy, again wins 3 gold medals in relay races. At the same time, he enhances his success with a personal bronze medal in the 100 m freestyle swim. However, this was not enough for her. The 31-year-old swimmer took part in the 2004 Games, where she won two more silver medals in relays.
- one of the most outstanding gymnasts in history. He has 12 medals, 8 of which are of the highest value. The gymnast first became an Olympic champion in Mexico City in 1968, where he was the best in the absolute championship, floor exercise and with the team. In exercises on rings, Kato showed the third result. In 1972, the Japanese again won 3 medals. And again Saavo Kato is the best in the absolute and team championships. Also, the gymnast had no equal on the uneven bars. On the pommel horse and horizontal bar, the gymnast was second. The last Olympic Games of a Japanese person were the 1976 Games in Montreal. And here the athlete did not make a mistake. The 30-year-old gymnast won 2 golds: uneven bars and team championship. Silver in the overall championship.
Overall result: 12 medals. 8 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze.
7-8 places.
Seventh and eighth places were shared between representatives of summer and winter sports. Birgit Fischer is the most titled representative of kayaking. And Bjorn Daly had no equal in cross-country skiing.
ranks second among women (after Larisa Latynina) in the number of Olympic awards. The period during which the athlete managed to win numerous medals is also impressive. Fischer won her first Olympic gold back in 1980 in Moscow. The last Olympic triumph occurred with a German woman 24 years later at the Olympic Games in Athens. Oh, if it weren’t for the boycott of 1984, who knows how many medals the phenomenal rower would have won. In 1980, the German woman won gold in the 500 m single sculls. In Seoul 1988, the gold double in the double and quadruple, and Fischer was second in the single. In Barcelona, the German is again the best in singles. The second athlete was in the four. In Atlanta 1996, gold again. This time in four. The second Fischer was in two. In Sydney, Birgit Fischer wins 2 golds - in two and four. But this was not enough for the insatiable German woman. In 2004, the 42-year-old rower went to the Games in Athens where her experience brought gold to the German four, and silver to the two. Only after this did the athlete calm down and leave the sport.
- the best skier of all time. The Norwegian ranks second in the number of gold medals after the legendary Bjoerndalen. The athlete won all his Olympic awards evenly. From each Games from 1992 to 1998, a skier took home 4 medals. It’s only in Albertville and Nagano that the Norwegian managed to win 3 gold medals each, and in 1994 in Lillehammer Daly won 2 medals of the highest value. To be fair, it should be noted that Daly was in a period when the Winter Olympic Games were held not once every 4 years, but once every 2 years - in 1992 and 1994, respectively. This is due to the decision of the IOC that the summer and winter Games be held two years apart. The Norwegian also has 4 silver medals.
Overall result: 12 medals. 8 gold, 4 silver.
6th place. .
Ole Bjoerndalen- the king of biathlon. Also, the legendary Norwegian takes absolute first place in the number of Olympic awards among representatives of winter sports. The Norwegian began collecting medals in 1988, when in Nagano he won gold in the 10 km sprint and silver in the 4x7.5 km relay. The 2002 Games were held under the leadership of the king. In Salt Lake City, Bjoerndalen won 4 gold medals. In 2006, out of three medals, none was gold, but the Norwegian biathlete did not give up and was able to win gold in Vancouver and 2 gold medals in Sochi. Read more about the famous biathlete in our article
Overall result: 13 medals. 8 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze.
5th place. .
Total result: 10 medals. 9 gold, 1 silver.
4th place. .
Overall result: 11 medals. 9 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze.
3rd place. .
Overall result: 12 medals. 9 gold, 3 silver.
2. .
Overall result: 18 medals. 9 gold, 5 silver, 4 bronze.
1. .
Overall result: 26 medals. 22 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze.
