Olympic medal winners: every one since 1896 as open data | Sport | theguardian.com

Olympic medal winners: every one since 1896 as open data

Which countries have won the most Olympic medals? Who has won the most too? Get the full data here
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London Olympics medal from 1948 View larger picture
Olympic medal from 1948, the last time London hosted the games. Who won then? Photograph: Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

Of the 26 Summer Olympics since 1896, this will be the third in London - the only city ever to have three games.

And in that time, 29,216 medals have been awarded - and splits roughly, but not equally, in three ways into Gold, Silver and Bronze. In fact, the first two Olympiads awarded silver medals and an olive wreath for the winner. The IOC retrospectively awarded gold, bronze and silver to athletes based on their rankings.

Olympic medals interactive guide Olympic medals interactive guide Click image to explore it

Of those thousands of medals, the big winner has been the US - a trend that has continued. As some of you spotted, these totals are for medal winners - not winning events. If a team has five members, that counts as six medals (five individuals and one team win). That is how the Olympic database supplies the information. This may inflate the tallies beyond the official medals totals, but it still shows which countries have fared best at previous Olympics.

Sebastian Coe, the former Olympic medallist who is head of the UK games organisers has predicted that this year it will be China.

I think it will be China, US, and then Russia … I just think if you look at it, in its entirety, (it will be) China

This chart shows how China has crept up on the USA over time, and how the USSR ran the USA so close before its collapse at the end of the 1980s. You can also see how important the UK used to be in the Olympics medals ranking, with a high point in 1908.

The medal tables have been dominated by men, with more male sports in each Olympiad - but this chart shows how, based on medals, that gender balance is shifting. Even so, there are still concerns this year about gender inequality and the Olympics, with some countries still refusing to allow women to train and compete.

And some of those men have won a lot of medals - but the top medal winner of all time so far is Larisa Latinya, who won 18 medals for the Soviet Union. She's followed by Michael Phelps of the US, who won 14 golds - and there's a full list below.

1908 Olympics Olympic medal winners have come from many countries: this man didn't get one, though. Marathon runner Dorando Pietri, of Italy, had collapsed as he entered the stadium in London, 1908 and, was helped to his feet by officials and guided to the finish line. He was disqualified for receiving assistance but the event, watched by 90,000 people, had such impact that Queen Alexandra of Britain subsequently presented him with a cup to mark his courage and determination. Photograph: IOC

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Data summary

Top Olympic medal winners

Athletes who have won five or more medals. Click heading to sort table. Download this data

Athlete
Country
Bronze
Silver
Gold
Grand Total
LATYNINA, Larisa Soviet Union 4 5 9 18
PHELPS, Michael United States 2   14 16
ANDRIANOV, Nikolay Soviet Union 3 5 7 15
MANGIAROTTI, Edoardo Italy 2 5 6 13
ONO, Takashi Japan 4 4 5 13
SHAKHLIN, Boris Soviet Union 2 4 7 13
FISCHER, Birgit East Germany   4 8 12
KATO, Sawao Japan 1 3 8 12
NEMOV, Alexei Russia 6 2 4 12
NURMI, Paavo Finland   3 9 12
THOMPSON, Jenny United States 1 3 8 12
TORRES, Dara United States 4 4 4 12
BIONDI, Matthew United States 1 2 8 11
CASLAVSKA, Vera Czechoslovakia   4 7 11
CHUKARIN, Viktor Ivanovich Soviet Union 1 3 7 11
COUGHLIN, Natalie United States 4 4 3 11
OSBURN, Carl Townsend United States 2 4 5 11
SPITZ, Mark United States 1 1 9 11
ASTAKHOVA, Polina Soviet Union 3 2 5 10
DITYATIN, Aleksandr Soviet Union 1 6 3 10
GEREVICH, Aladar Hungary 2 1 7 10
HALL, Gary Jr. United States 2 3 5 10
KELETI, Agnes Hungary 2 3 5 10
LEWIS, Carl United States   1 9 10
NAKAYAMA, Akinori Japan 2 2 6 10
SCHERBO, Vitaly Unified team 4   6 10
VAN ALMSICK, Franziska Germany 6 4   10
COMANECI, Nadia Romania 1 3 5 9
GAUDINI, Giulio Italy 2 4 3 9
KENMOTSU, Eizo Japan 3 3 3 9
OTTEY-PAGE, Merlene Jamaica 6 3   9
POPOV, Alexander Unified team   5 4 9
SAVOLAINEN, Heikki Finland 6 1 2 9
SWAHN, Alfred Sweden 3 3 3 9
THORPE, Ian Australia 1 3 5 9
TITOV, Yuri Soviet Union 3 5 1 9
TSUKAHARA, Mitsuo Japan 3 1 5 9
TURISCHEVA, Lyudmila Soviet Union 2 3 4 9
VAN INNIS, Hubert Belgium   3 6 9
VORONIN, Mikhail Soviet Union 1 6 2 9
BABASHOFF, Shirley Farber United States   6 2 8
CARLBERG, G. Vilhelm Sweden   4 4 8
CATTIAU, Philippe France 1 4 3 8
DE BRUIJN, Inge Netherlands 2 2 4 8
DUCRET, Roger François France 1 4 3 8
ENDER, Kornelia East Germany   4 4 8
EWRY, Ray United States     8 8
FRASER, Dawn Australia   4 4 8
FREDRIKSSON, Gert Sweden 1 1 6 8
JONES, Leisel Australia 1 4 3 8
KLIMKE, Reiner Unified team of Germany 2   6 8
KORONDI, Margit Hungary 4 2 2 8
LIPA, Elisabeta Romania 1 2 5 8
MACK, Eugen Switzerland 2 4 2 8
MATTHES, Roland East Germany 2 2 4 8
MIEZ, Georges Switzerland 1 3 4 8
MURATOVA, Sofiya Soviet Union 4 2 2 8
O'NEILL, Susan Australia 2 4 2 8
OLSEN, Otto M. Norway 1 3 4 8
RITOLA, Ville Finland   3 5 8
SAUTIN, Dmitry Unified team 4 2 2 8
THOMAS, Petria Australia 1 4 3 8
TRILLINI, Giovanna Italy 3 1 4 8
VAN GRUNSVEN, Anky Netherlands   5 3 8
WERTH, Isabell Germany   3 5 8
AMANAR, Simona Romania 3 1 3 7
ANDERSSON, Agneta Sweden 2 2 3 7
BEARD, Amanda United States 1 4 2 7
COVENTRY, Kirsty Zimbabwe 1 4 2 7
DANIELS, Charles United States 2 1 4 7
EGERSZEGI, Krisztina Hungary 1 1 5 7
ENDO, Yukio Japan   2 5 7
GOROKHOVSKAYA, Mariya Soviet Union   5 2 7
HACKETT, Grant Australia 1 3 3 7
HALMAY, Zoltan Hungary 1 4 2 7
HASE, Dagmar Germany 1 5 1 7
JANZ, Karin East Germany 2 3 2 7
KHORKINA, Svetlana Russia 1 4 2 7
KOVACS, Pal Adam Hungary 1   6 7
LEDNEV, Pavel Soviet Union 3 2 2 7
LEE, Willis United States 1 1 5 7
LEZAK, Jason United States 2 1 4 7
LIBERG, Einar Norway 1 2 4 7
MARZI, Gustavo Italy   5 2 7
MILLER, Shannon United States 3 2 2 7
PATZAICHIN, Ivan Romania   3 4 7
PEIRSOL, Aaron United States   2 5 7
REJTO-UJLAKI, Ildiko Hungary 2 3 2 7
SPOONER, Lloyd Spencer United States 2 1 4 7
STALDER, Josef Switzerland 3 3 1 7
STRICKLAND-DE LA HUNTY, Shirley Australia 3 1 3 7
SZEWINSKA, Irena Poland 2 2 3 7
SZIVOS, Istvan Hungary 2 2 3 7
TAKEMOTO, Masao Japan 3 3 1 7
VAN DEN HOOGENBAND, Pieter Netherlands 2 2 3 7
VEZZALI, Valentina Italy 1 1 5 7
WINKLER, Hans Günter Unified team of Germany 1 1 5 7
ANDRUNACHE, Georgeta Romania 1   5 6
COCHELEA, Veronica Romania 1 3 2 6
D'INZEO, Piero Italy 4 2   6
D'INZEO, Raimondo Italy 3 2 1 6
D'ORIOLA, Christian France   2 4 6
DE MONTIGNY, Fernand Belgium 2 3 1 6
DELFINO, Giuseppe Italy   2 4 6
DOWNING, Burton United States 1 3 2 6
EYSER, George United States 1 2 3 6
FREY, Konrad Germany 2 1 3 6
GARRETT, Robert United States 2 2 2 6
GAUDIN, Lucien France   2 4 6
GROSS, Michael West Germany 1 2 3 6
GUO, Jingjing China   2 4 6
HEIDA, Anton United States   1 5 6
HELM, Rüdiger East Germany 3   3 6
HOLMANN, Knut Norway 1 2 3 6
HUNGER, Daniela East Germany 3 1 2 6
IGNAT, Doina Romania 1 1 4 6
JOYNER-KERSEE, Jackie United States 2 1 3 6
KARPATI, Rudolf Hungary     6 6
KIM, Nelli Soviet Union   1 5 6
KIM, Soo-Nyung Korea, South 1 1 4 6
KITAJIMA, Kosuke Japan 2   4 6
KLIM, Michael Australia 1 3 2 6
KOBAN, Rita Hungary 1 3 2 6
KOLOBKOV, Pavel Soviet Union 3 2 1 6
KORBUT, Olga Soviet Union   2 4 6
KOVACS, Katalin Hungary   4 2 6
KULCSAR, Gyözö Hungary 2   4 6
LANE, Alfred P. United States 1   5 6
LI, Ning China 1 2 3 6
LI, Xiaosahuang China 1 3 2 6
LILLOE-OLSEN, Ole Andreas Norway   1 5 6
LOCHTE, Ryan United States 2 1 3 6
MANINA, Tamara Soviet Union 1 3 2 6
MARTINO, Angel United States 3   3 6
MILOSOVICI, Lavinia Corina Romania 3 1 2 6
MISUTIN, Grigori Unified team 1 4 1 6
NADI, Nedo Italy     6 6
NATVIG, Harald Norway 1 2 3 6
NAZLYMOV, Vladimir Soviet Union 1 2 3 6
NECKERMANN, Josef Unified team of Germany 2 2 2 6
NOVIKOVA-BELOVA, Elena Soviet Union 1 1 4 6
OTTO, Kristin East Germany     6 6
PLUMB, John Michael United States   4 2 6
POLLACK, Andrea East Germany   3 3 6
REDGRAVE, Steven United Kingdom 1   5 6
REVENU, Daniel France 5   1 6
RIBOUD, Philippe France 2 2 2 6
ROSE, Murray Australia 1 1 4 6
ROSE, Ralph United States 1 2 3 6
SCHOLLANDER, Donald Arthur United States   1 5 6
SCHWARZMANN, Karl-Alfred Germany 2 1 3 6
SIDYAK, Viktor Soviet Union 1 1 4 6
SILIVAS, Daniela Romania 1 2 3 6
STECHER, Renate East Germany 1 2 3 6
STUKELJ, Leon Yugoslavia 2 1 3 6
SWAHN, Oscar Sweden 2 1 3 6
TASS LEMHENYI, Olga Hungary 2 3 1 6
TRICKETT, Lisbeth Australia 2 1 3 6
TSURUMI, Shuji Japan 1 3 2 6
VAN DYKEN, Amy United States     6 6
WANG, Yifu China 1 3 2 6
WEINGÄRTNER, Hermann Germany 1 2 3 6
WEISSMULLER, Johnny United States 1   5 6
WIGGINS, Bradley United Kingdom 2 1 3 6
ZIJLAARD-VAN MOORSEL, Leontien Netherlands 1 1 4 6
AALTONEN, Paavo Johannes Finland 2   3 5
ANSPACH, Paul Belgium 1 2 2 5
ARTEMOV, Vladimir Soviet Union   1 4 5
ASHFORD, Evelyn United States   1 4 5
BALCZO, Andras Hungary   2 3 5
BAU, Sabine Christiane West Germany 2 2 1 5
BAXTER, Irving United States   3 2 5
BERCZELLY, Tibor Hungary 2   3 5
BERESFORD, Jack United Kingdom   2 3 5
BLUHM, Kay East Germany 1 1 3 5
BORG, Arne Sweden 2 2 1 5
BORON, Kathrin Germany 1   4 5
BORZOV, Valery Soviet Union 2 1 2 5
BRÜCKNER, Roland East Germany 3 1 1 5
BRULE, Julien Louis France 1 3 1 5
BUCHARD, Georges France 1 2 2 5
BURCICA, Constanta Romania 1 1 3 5
BUSCHSCHULTE, Antje Germany 5     5
CAMPBELL-BROWN, Veronica Jamaica 1 1 3 5
CARLBERG, Eric Sweden   3 2 5
CHAMMARTIN, Henri Switzerland 2 2 1 5
CHARLTON, Andrew Australia 1 3 1 5
CHEN, Jing China 1 2 2 5
CONNOLLY, James United States 2 2 1 5
CROCKER, Ian United States 1 1 3 5
DAVIS, Josh United States   2 3 5
DE JONG, Adrianus Egbertus Willem Netherlands 5     5
DI ROSA, Manlio Italy 1 2 2 5
DIBIASI, Klaus Italy   2 3 5
DIERS, Ines East Germany 1 2 2 5
DIETRICH, Wilfried Unified team of Germany 2 2 1 5
DITTMER, Andreas Germany 1 1 3 5
DRECHSLER, Heike East Germany 2 1 2 5
EDWARDS, Philip Canada 5     5
EDWARDS, Teresa United States 1   4 5
ERIKSSON, Mauritz Sweden 3 1 1 5
EVANS, Janet United States   1 4 5
FENTON, Dennis United States 2   3 5
FERGUSON, Ian Gordon New Zealand   1 4 5
FIEDLER, Jens Germany 2   3 5
FISCHER, Gustav Switzerland 2 3   5
FISHER, Morris United States     5 5
FLESSEL-COLOVIC, Laura France 2 1 2 5
FONST, Ramon Cuba   1 4 5
FU, Mingxia China   1 4 5
GEORGESCU, Elena Romania 1 1 3 5
GOGEAN, Gina Elena Romania 3 2   5
GOROKHOVA, Galina Soviet Union 1 1 3 5
GOULD, Shane Australia 1 1 3 5
GRAEL, Torben Brazil 2 1 2 5
GRIFFITH-JOYNER, Florence United States   2 3 5
GROZDEVA, Maria Bulgaria 3   2 5
GUSHIKEN, Koji Japan 2 1 2 5
GYARMATI, Dezso Hungary 1 1 3 5
HELGERUD, Albert Norway 1 2 2 5
HENCKEN, John Frederick United States 1 1 3 5
HEUKRODT, Olaf East Germany 2 2 1 5
HOLMERTZ, Anders Sweden 1 4   5
HOY, Chris United Kingdom   1 4 5
HUHTANEN, Veikko Finland 1 1 3 5
HURLEY, Marcus United States 1   4 5
IDEM, Josefa West Germany 2 2 1 5
JOHANSSON, Carl Hugo Sweden 3   2 5
JOUSSEAUME, Andre Rene France 1 2 2 5
KAHANAMOKU, Duke Paoa United States   2 3 5
KARSTEN, Ekaterina Unified team 2 1 2 5
KELLER, Klete United States 2 1 2 5
KLIMENKO, Viktor Soviet Union 1 3 1 5
KLOCHKOVA, Yana Ukraine   1 4 5
KOLEHMAINEN, Hannes Finland   1 4 5
LAMOUR, Jean-Francois France 2 1 2 5
LANDELIUS, P. Fredric Sweden 2 3   5
LARSEN, Niels Hansen Ditlev Denmark 3 1 1 5
LEBEDEVA, Tatyana Russia 1 3 1 5
LI, Xiaopeng China 1   4 5
LINSENHOFF, Liselott Unified team of Germany 1 2 2 5
LISITSKY, Viktor Soviet Union   5   5
LIUKIN, Nastia United States 1 3 1 5
LOGVINENKO, Marina Soviet Union 2 1 2 5
LOU, Yun China 1 2 2 5
LOUGANIS, Gregory United States   1 4 5
MAC DONALD, Christopher Paul New Zealand 1 1 3 5
MADSEN, Lars Jörgen Denmark 1 2 2 5
MASSULLO, Carlo Italy 2 2 1 5
MCGEE, Bradley Australia 3 1 1 5
MEAGHER, Mary T. United States 1 1 3 5
MENICHELLI, Franco Italy 3 1 1 5
MERZ, William United States 4 1   5
MONTANO, Aldo Italy 1 3 1 5
MORALES, Pablo United States   2 3 5
MORELON, Daniel France 1 1 3 5
MURATOV, Valentin Soviet Union   1 4 5
NABER, John Phillips United States   1 4 5
NOËL, Christian France 4   1 5
NUESSLEIN, Lawrence Adam United States 2 1 2 5
OLSEN, Jon United States 1   4 5
ÖSTENSEN, Östen Norway 2 3   5
PAHUD DE MORTANGES, Charles Ferdinand Netherlands   1 4 5
PAROCHE, Achille France 1 3 1 5
PAWLOWSKI, Jerzy Poland 1 3 1 5
PORTWICH, Ramona East Germany   2 3 5
POZDNYAKOV, Stanislav Unified team 1   4 5
PROZUMENSCHIKOVA-STEPANOVA, Galina Soviet Union 2 2 1 5
PULITI, Oreste Italy   1 4 5
RETTON, Mary-Lou United States 2 2 1 5
REUSCH, Michael Switzerland   4 1 5
ROMANKOV, Aleksander Soviet Union 2 2 1 5
ROSSI, Antonio Italy 1 1 3 5
SCHUMANN, Ralf East Germany   2 3 5
SEKARIC, Jasna Yugoslavia 1 3 1 5
SHEPPARD, Melvin United States   1 4 5
STUECKELBERGER, Christine Switzerland 1 3 1 5
SUSANU, Viorica Romania 1   4 5
SZABO, Ecaterina Romania   1 4 5
TACHIBANA, Miya Japan 1 4   5
TAKEDA, Miho Japan 1 4   5
TANI, Ryoko Japan 1 2 2 5
TAYLOR, Henry United Kingdom 2   3 5
TEWKSBURY, Walter B. John United States 1 2 2 5
THOMSON, Earl Foster United States   3 2 5
TODD, Mark New Zealand 2 1 2 5
TORRENCE, Gwen United States 1 1 3 5
VACHA, Ladislav Czechoslovakia 2 2 1 5
VAN ZO POST, Albertson Cuba 2 1 2 5
VON HOLST, Johan Hübner Sweden 1 2 2 5
WAGNER-AUGUSTIN, Katrin Germany 1   4 5
WANG, Nan China   1 4 5
WECKER, Andreas East Germany 2 2 1 5
WEGELIUS, Karl Magnus Finland 4 1   5
WHITFIELD, Malvin Groston United States 1 1 3 5
WIDE, Edvin Sweden 4 1   5
XIONG, Ni China 1 1 3 5
YANG, Wei China   2 3 5
ZAMPORI, Giorgio Italy 1   4 5
ZATOPEK, Emil Czechoslovakia   1 4 5
ZUCHOLD, Erika East Germany 1 4   5

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London Olympics medal from 1948

Olympic medal from 1948, the last time London hosted the games. Who won then? Photograph: Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images