Most Olympic Gold Medals Won by an Athlete
Ranks individual Olympians by the total number of gold medals (individual and team) they have won across the Summer and Winter Games.
Fact-ranked — the numbers decide the order, not votes
What counts: Counts all official Olympic gold medals earned by an athlete, individual and team events combined, across Summer and Winter Olympic Games, as of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
American swimmer holds the all-time record with 23 Olympic gold medals won between 2004 and 2016.
Gold Medals: 23Country: USASport: Swimming
added by Yourlist Editorialin 8 rankingsMichael Phelps
Soviet gymnast whose 9 gold medals stood as the overall record until Phelps surpassed it.
Gold Medals: 9Country: Soviet UnionSport: Gymnastics
added by Yourlist Editorialin 3 rankingsLarisa Latynina
Finnish distance runner known as the 'Flying Finn', won 9 golds in the 1920s.
Gold Medals: 9Country: FinlandSport: Athletics
added by Yourlist Editorialin 2 rankingsPaavo Nurmi
American swimmer famous for winning 7 golds at the 1972 Munich Games alone, 9 total.
Gold Medals: 9Country: USASport: Swimming
added by Yourlist Editorialin 5 rankingsMark Spitz
American sprinter and long jumper who won 9 golds across four Olympics (1984-1996).
Gold Medals: 9Country: USASport: Athletics
added by Yourlist Editorialin 6 rankingsCarl Lewis
Jamaican sprinter who won 8 golds across the 100m, 200m and relay events from 2008-2016.
Gold Medals: 8Country: JamaicaSport: Athletics
added by Yourlist Editorialin 9 rankingsUsain Bolt
American swimmer who amassed 8 gold medals, mostly in relay events, from 1992-2004.
Gold Medals: 8Country: USASport: Swimming
added by Yourlist Editorialin 2 rankingsJenny Thompson
American swimmer who won 8 gold medals across the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Games.
Gold Medals: 8Country: USASport: Swimming
added by Yourlist EditorialMatt Biondi
American standing jumper who won 8 golds in now-discontinued standing jump events, 1900-1908.
Gold Medals: 8Country: USASport: Athletics
added by Yourlist EditorialRay Ewry
Japanese gymnast who won 8 gold medals across three Olympics between 1968 and 1976.
Gold Medals: 8Country: JapanSport: Gymnastics
added by Yourlist EditorialSawao Katō
German canoeist who won 8 golds across an unmatched six Olympic Games from 1980-2004.
Gold Medals: 8Country: GermanySport: Canoeing
added by Yourlist Editorialin 2 rankingsBirgit Fischer
American swimmer who has won 8 gold medals in freestyle events from 2012 through 2024.
Gold Medals: 8Country: USASport: Swimming
added by Yourlist Editorialin 7 rankingsKatie Ledecky
Norwegian biathlete nicknamed the 'King of Biathlon', won 8 Winter Olympic golds.
Gold Medals: 8Country: NorwaySport: Biathlon
added by Yourlist Editorialin 2 rankingsOle Einar Bjørndalen
Norwegian cross-country skier who won 8 gold medals across four Winter Olympics.
Gold Medals: 8Country: NorwaySport: Cross-country skiing
added by Yourlist EditorialMarit Bjørgen
Norwegian cross-country skier who won 8 golds in the 1990s Winter Games.
Gold Medals: 8Country: NorwaySport: Cross-country skiing
added by Yourlist Editorialin 2 rankingsBjørn Dæhlie
Soviet gymnast who won 7 gold medals across three Olympics in the 1970s.
Gold Medals: 7Country: Soviet UnionSport: Gymnastics
added by Yourlist Editorialin 2 rankingsNikolai Andrianov
Soviet gymnast who claimed 7 gold medals between 1956 and 1964.
Gold Medals: 7Country: Soviet UnionSport: Gymnastics
added by Yourlist Editorialin 2 rankingsBoris Shakhlin
Soviet gymnast and WWII survivor who won 7 golds in the 1952 and 1956 Games.
Gold Medals: 7Country: Soviet UnionSport: Gymnastics
added by Yourlist EditorialViktor Chukarin
Czechoslovak gymnast who won 7 gold medals across three Olympics in the 1960s.
Gold Medals: 7Country: CzechoslovakiaSport: Gymnastics
added by Yourlist EditorialVěra Čáslavská
Hungarian fencer who won 7 golds in sabre across an astonishing six Olympics, 1932-1960.
Gold Medals: 7Country: HungarySport: Fencing
added by Yourlist EditorialAladár Gerevich
American gymnast who has won 7 gold medals across the 2016 and 2024 Olympics.
Gold Medals: 7Country: USASport: Gymnastics
added by Yourlist Editorialin 7 rankingsSimone Biles
Sprinter whose relay and individual golds spanned five Olympic Games.
Gold Medals: 7Country: United StatesSport: Athletics
added by Yourlist Editorialin 5 rankingsAllyson Felix
East German swimmer who swept 6 gold medals in a single Games, 1988 Seoul.
Gold Medals: 6Country: East GermanySport: Swimming
added by Yourlist Editorialin 3 rankingsKristin Otto
Unified Team gymnast who won 6 golds in a single Olympics, 1992 Barcelona.
Gold Medals: 6Country: Unified TeamSport: Gymnastics
added by Yourlist Editorialin 2 rankingsVitaly Scherbo
Soviet speed skater who won 6 gold medals, sweeping all events at the 1964 Games.
Gold Medals: 6Country: Soviet UnionSport: Speed skating
added by Yourlist EditorialLidiya Skoblikova
American swimmer who won 6 gold medals across four Olympics from 2004 to 2016.
Gold Medals: 6Country: USASport: Swimming
added by Yourlist Editorialin 4 rankingsRyan Lochte
Italian fencer whose career spanned five Olympics from 1936 to 1960.
Gold Medals: 6Country: ItalySport: Fencing
added by Yourlist EditorialEdoardo Mangiarotti
