US Olympic medal records: A history of American dominance at the Summer Games

United States athletes at the Olympics often are draped in red, white and blue … and gold. 

The U.S. reached a historic milestone by capturing its 1,000th gold medal in the history of the Olympic Games at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. It was the continuation of the United States’ history of global domination at the Olympics, with a record-setting 2016 performance with a total of 121 medals — the most ever in a non-boycotted Games.  

The U.S. nearly matched that total in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, finishing with 113 medals.

Overall, the United States has around 2,500 Summer Olympic medals, according to Olympedia, the most of any country by a wide margin.

It’s one of many records Team USA held when it comes to Olympic medal counts entering Paris. Here are a few:

In how many Olympics have the United States won the most medals?

More than half. 

Of the 28 Summer Olympic Games the U.S. has competed in since 1896, the country has finished atop the medal count in 16 of them.  

At the 2024 Olympics in Paris, the United States looks to lead the summer medal count for an eighth consecutive time. 

What was the United States’ largest medal margin of victory? 

Technically, it’s when the United States won 246 medals during the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis, which was 216 more than any other country (Germany was second with 14). But that was when competition was scarce with only 10 competing countries.   

The largest margin of victory for the U.S. in a non-boycotted Olympics was in 1924 when they won 61 more medals than any other country. The United States’ 51-medal margin during the 2016 Games was its second largest of all time.  

Which country has the most gold medals?

Yep, you guessed it. The United States has the most gold medals with 1,070 total entering Paris.

Which sport has the United States won the most medals in at the Summer Olympics?

The United States has won more medals in athletics (track and field) than nearly every other country has won in all events combined.

The U.S. has captured 827 medals in athletics, the most for any country in a single sport. Only six other nations have won more than 800 total medals in Olympic history: Germany (1,211), the Soviet Union (1,204), France (1,039), Great Britain (1,036), China (900) and Italy (885). The Americans’ medal count in athletics includes 344 gold, 269 silver and 214 bronze — way ahead of Great Britain, which has 210 medals in athletics.

U.S. Olympians have shown that they are quite fast on land and in the water. The United States has 578 medals in swimming, capturing 257 gold, 178 silver and 143 bronze. Australia has the second-most swimming medals with 213. 

Which American man has won the most Olympic medals?

That would be the most decorated Olympian of all time: Michael Phelps. 

Phelps won 28 medals in swimming between 2004 and 2016, topping the previous American male record of 11 held by fellow swimmers Mark Spitz and Matt Biondi, as well as shooter Carl Osburn. Phelps broke the overall record of 18 held by Soviet Union gymnast Larisa Latynina during the 2012 London Games. 

Of Phelps’ 28 medals, 23 of them were gold for an Olympic record that might never be broken. 

Ryan Lochte, Phelps’ former teammate, is second among American men with 12 medals. 

Which American woman has won the most Olympic medals?

Three female swimmers — Jenny Thompson, Dara Torres and Natalie Coughlin — currently share the lead among American female medal winners with 12 each. 

Thompson captured eight golds, three silvers and one bronze between 1992 and 2004. Torres won four golds, four silvers and four bronzes during an Olympic career that spanned between 1984 and 2008. Coughlin captured three golds, four silvers and five bronzes between 2004 and 2008.      

Which American man has won the most medals in a single Olympics?

Phelps left the 2004 Olympics with eight medals. He did so again in 2008, and that time each of them were gold.

Eight medals was not only the most ever for an American in a single Games, but it tied the Olympic record held by Soviet Union gymnast Aleksandr Dityatin, who won eight medals during the 1980 Games. 

Phelps’ eight gold medals in a single Games broke the previous record of seven that was set by American swimmer Mark Spitz in 1972.

Which American woman has won the most Olympic medals in a single Olympics?

Phelps wasn’t the only American to dominate in the pool during the 2008 Olympics. Coughlin won six medals, the most for an American woman in a single Games.

Coughlin won gold in the 100m backstroke, silver in the 4x100m freestyle and 4x100m medley, and bronze in the 100m freestyle, 200m medley and 4x200m freestyle.

Coughlin won five medals during the 2004 Olympics, which is tied for second most for an American woman in a single Games with Simone Biles (gymnastics, 2016), Katie Ledecky (swimming, 2016), Missy Franklin (swimming, 2012), Allison Schmitt (swimming, 2012), Shirley Babashoff (swimming, 1976), Nastia Liukin (gymnastics, 2008), Mary Lou Retton (gymnastics, 1984) and Shannon Miller (gymnastics, 1992).

Which American won the most medals at the 2020 Olympics?

The Olympic torch was officially passed from Michael Phelps to Caeleb Dressel during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Dressel won five gold medals in men's swimming, winning in the 4x100m freestyle relay, 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 4x100m medley relay and 50m freestyle, setting an Olympic record in the latter with a time of 21.07 seconds.

The 27-year-old now has seven career Olympic medals, having won his first gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 4x100m freestyle relay and the 4x100m medley relay.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article was published in July 2021.