Paris 2024: Which country has the most Olympic gold medals? Who is the most decorated athlete?

Which country has won the most gold medals during the Summer Olympics? Who has won the most Olympic gold medals in their career? Which current Olympic stars could increase their gold medal tally in Paris 2024? The 30th edition of the games kicks off on the 26th July with 32 disciplines for athletes to compete for their chance to make the medal table.

The Olympians – Triple Olympic champion Adam Peaty

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Athletes from 206 nations will compete at Paris 2024 looking to target some of the 329 medal events, with over 5,000 medals produced in total.

It is the third time France are hosting the Games, having also held the second and seventh editions back in 1900 and 1924 respectively.

The first medal up for grabs this time around was in the 10m air rifle mixed team event on Saturday, July 27 at 9.30am, with medals in the diving, cycling, judo, skateboarding, rugby sevens, fencing and swimming all also awarded on the first day.

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Ten gold medals are set to be handed out on the final day of the Olympics, with the very last medal being awarded in women's basketball on Sunday, August 11.

Which country has won the most gold medals at the Summer Olympics?

Coming into Paris Team USA led the table with most medals at the Summer Olympics, with a staggering 2655 medals overall, impressively 1070 being gold.

Of those 1070, 344 have come from the athletics track, whilst 258 have come from the aquatics centre, with the notable figure of Michael Phelps reaching double figures.

They dominate the rest of the medal table, with a healthy lead over the Soviet Union* who recorded 395 gold medals, and Great Britain, who have claimed 292 gold medals. China follow in fourth with 263 golds at the games.

*The Soviet Union was disbanded in 1991 and last competed in 1988.

Which athlete has won the most gold medals at the games?

Unsurprisingly, the record for the most gold medals at the Olympics goes to Michael Phelps, with 23 of his 28 medals coming in the gold.

Phelps, who retired after the Rio 2016 games, dominated in the pool since his Olympic debut at Sydney 2000. Although finishing fifth in his first games, Phelps went on to bring home six gold medals in 2004 in Athens, and in Beijing 2008, Phelps won an overwhelming eight gold medals from all eight events.

Gold medalist Michael Phelps of the United States celebrates on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Men's 200m Individual Medley Final on Day 6 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 11, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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The 2016 flag bearer would go on to win four more golds in London 2012 before a further five golds in Rio to seal his title as the best swimmer of all time at the Olympic Games.

In the standings of retired athletes Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina sits second, having won nine golds from 18 medals during the 1956 and 1964 Olympic Games.

Finnish distance runner Paavo Nurmi also won nine golds from 1920 to 1928, whilst Team USA duo Mark Spitz and Carl Lewis equalled nine golds each in the pool and athletics track respectively.

Which current athlete has won the most gold medals?

Katie Ledecky is the most successful active athlete, with a huge haul of nine gold medals and counting.

She is the most decorated American woman, most decorated female swimmer, and fifth most decorated athlete in Olympic history. And having only turned 27 in March, she could have more Games and more medals left in her.

The 14-time Olympic medallist made headlines at just 15 when she took a surprise gold in her debut Games at London 2012 in the 800m freestyle.

So far in Paris she has won bronze in the 400m freestyle, defended her title and set a new Olympic record in the 1500m freestyle, and with another gold in the 800m freestyle she equalled Phelps as the only swimmer to win four straight gold medals in the same Olympic event.

A silver in the 4x200m freestyle relay alongside Claire Weinstein, Paige Madden and Erin Gemmell topped off a truly spectacular Olympics for Ledecky.

'Very special indeed' - Legend Ledecky makes history with ninth Olympic gold medal

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Another American with a chance of making it eight gold medals is Caeleb Dressel, whose dominant display in Tokyo saw him claim five gold medals in the 50m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle, 4x100 metres Freestyle relay, 100m Butterfly and 4x100m Medley relay.

Whilst she may not have left Tokyo with all golds, Australian swimmer Emma McKeon did leave as the most decorated Olympian across all sports at the Games with four gold and three bronze medals, whilst also equalling the record of the most medals won by a woman in a single Olympic games.

Which Team GB athlete has the most gold medals?

Jason Kenny secured his seventh gold medal and became Britain’s most decorated Olympian in Tokyo 2020 when he triumphed in the men’s keirin, beating Chris Hoy’s record.

His teammate and wife Laura Kenny would also claim her own record in the women’s Madison during the Tokyo games to become the most decorated British female athlete, with six medals, including five gold.

Which current Team GB athletes have the most gold medals?

British swimmer Duncan Scott has drawn level with Chris Hoy in the all-time Team GB medal standings on seven medals, two golds and five silvers.

Scott anchored the men's 4x200m freestyle relay team to a stunning gold, with the quartet including James Guy, Tom Dean and Matt Richards defending their title from Tokyo 2020.

Adam Peaty and Max Whitlock came to Paris looking to add to their tally of gold medals but so far haven't been able to match their exploits from Tokyo.

'I couldn't give it more' - Emotional Peaty reflects on silver medal in 100m breaststroke

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Gymnast Whitlock will retire with a trophy cabinet of three gold medals, six overall. He claimed his third Olympic title on the pommel horse in Tokyo 2020, but couldn't back it up in Paris despite qualifying for the final, finishing a heartbreaking fourth as Ireland's Rhys McClenaghan took gold.

Swimmer Peaty had three gold and five overall Olympic medals going into the 2024 Games and was looking to match Phelps' record of winning three straight golds in the same event.

But he could not defend his 100m breaststroke title, instead claiming an emotional silver as he finished 0.02 seconds down on the winner.

discovery+ is the streaming home of the Olympic Games, and the only place you can watch every moment of Paris 2024 this summer.

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