We are in the midst of the 2024 Summer Olympics and some of you are probably wondering which country has the most Olympic medals.
While the International Olympic Committee doesn’t make rankings, it says the United States is in first place. The Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage, an organization described by the Olympic Games as “the leading international exponent in the promotion and dissemination of Olympism in the fields of culture, heritage and values-based education” does, however, keep a record of which country has the most Olympic medals.
CBS News used data from the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage to produce this ranking, thanks to its specialist resources. Other sources may have different medal counts.
Which country has the most Olympic medals?
The Olympic Foundation counts one medal per event, regardless of the number of participating athletes. It also does not include medals won in artistic competitions or demonstration events.
Before this year’s Games began, the United States had a total of 2,975 Olympic medals, according to the Olympic Foundation. On Tuesday, July 30, the United States passed the 3,000-medal mark.
So far, the United States has won four gold, 11 silver and 11 bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, for a total of 26 medals. The games end on August 11.
Nearly half of Team USA’s wins this year have come from swimming events, with athletes including Katie Ledecky earning 15 medals. The Americans also won three medals in fencing, two in gymnastics, two in cycling, two in skateboarding, one in diving and one in rugby.
A country full of top athletes
The United States is home to so many top athletes that in 2016, CBS News Baltimore reported that if Maryland had been a competing country in the 2016 Rio Olympics, it would have finished second in gold medals. Olympians Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky hail from that area.
The U.S. is followed by the Soviet Union with 1,204 medals and Germany with 1,058 medals, according to the Olympic Foundation.
The Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Its former republics, such as Ukraine, Armenia and Georgia, now compete in the Olympics as independent countries. For example, Ukraine won 19 medals in 2020, while Georgia won eight and Armenia four.
Like the Soviet Union, Germany did not always compete in the same way at the Olympics. At one time, the Federal Republic of Germany represented West Germany, while the German Democratic Republic represented East Germany, so Germany did not compete at every Olympics as a unified country, which can lead to confusing medal counts.
Which country has the most Olympic gold medals?
The U.S. has the most gold medals: a total of 1,179, according to the Olympic Foundation. The Soviet Union is next, with 473 gold medals. Germany is in third place with 342 gold medals.
Great Britain, France, Italy, China, Sweden and Norway each have more than 200 gold medals, according to the Olympic Foundation.
With 957 silver medals, the USA once again leads the way in this category, followed by the Soviet Union with 376 silver medals and Germany with 365 silver medals.
Although the USA holds the overall record, they are behind in the number of gold medals won this year. So far, the USA has won four gold medals at the Paris Games. Japan, France, China, South Korea and Australia have all won more gold medals than the United States this year. So far, Japan is in first place this year with seven gold medals, CBS News notes.
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Source: www.descopera.ro
