The United States, the greatest Olympic power, has accumulated 2,522 medals in swimming since the first edition of the Olympic Games, until the last one in Rio de Janeiro, in 1896. Of these, 1,022 were of gold and 795 of silver. Michael Phelps is the leader with 28 medals, 23 of which are gold.
Ryan Lochte, also American, is the second swimmer in history with the most Olympic medals. The athlete climbed the podium 12 times, winning six gold, three silver and three bronze. The achievements took place between the Games in Athens in 2004 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Among the gold medals, Lochte won two medals in the individual events.
Natalie Coughlin is the woman with the most Olympic medals in swimming. The United States athlete won 12 badges between the Games in Athens 2004 and London 2012 – three gold, four silver and five bronze. Her specialty was the 100 m backstroke, a race in which she was a two-time Olympic champion.
Dara Torres, also from the United States, was another swimmer to collect 12 Olympic medals in her career. Between the 1984 Los Angeles Games and the 2000 Sydney, Australia edition, she collected four gold, four silver and four bronze. His specialty was running 50 and 100 meters.
United States swimmer Jenny Thompson is another who has won 12 Olympic medals in her career. Between the 1992 edition in Barcelona, Spain and the 2000 edition in Sydney, Australia, the athlete accumulated eight gold, three silver and one bronze. All were at the Golden Award relay event
United States swimmer Matt Biondi is one of the sport’s greatest swimmers in Olympic history. He won the gold medal in three consecutive editions and won a total of 11 medals in his career. Between the 1984 Games in Los Angeles and 1992 Barcelona, Spain, he won eight gold, two silver and one bronze.
For 36 years, American Mark Spitz held the gold medal record in the Olympic edition: seven. In 2008, fellow countryman and swimmer Michael Phelps overtook him by winning eight races. Spitz has accumulated 11 medals in Olympic history, of which nine are gold, one silver and one bronze.
Swimmer Gary Hall Jr. has climbed the Olympic podium on ten occasions. The United States athlete won five gold, three silver, and two bronze, competing at the Games in Atlanta 1996, Sydney, Australia, 2000 and Athens, Greece, 2004. Of the gold medals he won, two stood out in the 50. meter free
German Franziska van Almsik won ten Olympic medals. However, the swimmer took no gold – there were four silver and six bronze. This brand makes him the greatest Olympic athlete – among men and women – without first place. It participated in four editions – between Barcelona 1992 and Athens 2004.
Australian swimmer Leisel Jones has accumulated nine Olympic medals – three gold, five silver and one bronze. She competed in four editions of the Games between Sydney in 2012 and 2000 in London, England. And the only victory in an individual event was in 2008 in the 100 m backstroke in Beijing, China.
Australian Ian Thorpe is the only athlete from his country to win the most gold medals at an Olympic Games: five. In addition, he won three silver and one bronze, adding nine prizes to the history of the competition. The details are that the athlete has won only two editions – Sydney 2000, and Athens 2004. Received all these badges by playing
The greatest Russian swimmer in history, Alexander Popov, won nine Olympic medals. In his career, he won four gold and five silver at the Barcelona 92, Atlanta 96, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 editions. There were two gold medals in the 50 m freestyle and another two in the 100 m freestyle.
American swimmer Shirley Babashoff has climbed the Olympic podium nine times. In only two editions—Munich, Germany, in 1972, and Montreal, Canada, in 1976—the athlete won three gold medals (in all relay events) and six silver. Despite never achieving a gold personally, she is considered one of the greatest swimmers of all time.
