Most Olympic Medals of All Time
Winning one Olympic medal is the dream of a lifetime. These athletes won a dozen or more. The table lists the most decorated Olympians in history, Summer and Winter, with their gold count and total.
Figures include the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games and are current as of 12 October 2026.
Klaebo racing: Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0
The most decorated Olympians
| Athlete | Nation | Sport | Years | Gold | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Phelps | USA | Swimming | 2004 to 2016 | 23 | 28 |
| Larisa Latynina | Soviet Union | Gymnastics | 1956 to 1964 | 9 | 18 |
| Marit Bjorgen | Norway | Cross-country skiing | 2002 to 2018 | 8 | 15 |
| Nikolai Andrianov | Soviet Union | Gymnastics | 1972 to 1980 | 7 | 15 |
| Katie Ledecky | USA | Swimming | 2012 to 2024 | 9 | 14 |
| Isabell Werth | Germany | Equestrian | 1992 to 2024 | 8 | 14 |
| Ole Einar Bjorndalen | Norway | Biathlon | 1998 to 2014 | 8 | 14 |
| Emma McKeon | Australia | Swimming | 2016 to 2024 | 6 | 14 |
| Arianna Fontana | Italy | Short-track speed skating | 2006 to 2026 | 3 | 14 |
| Johannes Hosflot Klaebo | Norway | Cross-country skiing | 2018 to 2026 | 11 | 13 |
| Boris Shakhlin | Soviet Union | Gymnastics | 1956 to 1964 | 7 | 13 |
| Edoardo Mangiarotti | Italy | Fencing | 1936 to 1960 | 6 | 13 |
| Ireen Wust | Netherlands | Speed skating | 2006 to 2022 | 6 | 13 |
| Takashi Ono | Japan | Gymnastics | 1952 to 1964 | 5 | 13 |
| Paavo Nurmi | Finland | Athletics | 1920 to 1928 | 9 | 12 |
What the list tells us
Gymnastics and swimming dominate the top of the list because those sports offer many events at each Games, so one great athlete can win several medals in a single week. Phelps won eight golds in Beijing alone.
Longevity matters too. Isabell Werth won medals in dressage across 32 years, and Arianna Fontana raced at six Winter Games. Then there are the rare all-rounders, like Klaebo, who won every men's cross-country event at Milano Cortina 2026 and moved past every Winter Olympian in history for gold medals.
The Shining Champion collection
Tees and hoodies in the Shining Champion colors, printed to order in the USA. Use code VIP15 from the newsletter for 15% off your first order.
- Wikipedia: List of multiple Olympic medalists
- Olympics.com: Olympic results
- Wikipedia: Johannes Hosflot Klaebo
Facts on this page were checked against these sources (updated Oct 12, 2026). Spot an error? Email hello@fireempireshop.com.