The event that started in 1886 in Athens, Greece had fewer than 250 participants. A few centuries later, Paris Olympics 2024 is expected to host over 10,000+ athletes. Unarguably, the Olympics is the greatest sporting event in history.
Athletes belonging to more than 200 nations participate in this prestigious event. In addition, 45 games will feature in the Paris Olympics 2024. So, it makes the Olympics the biggest tournament in the sport’s world.
A lot has happened over the years. Many athletes bagged medals while others won over their hearts. At such a big stage, winning is surely the primary goal. However, representing your country becomes an achievement too.
This article is all about the greatest Olympians of all time. However, we’ll not rank them in any order. Simply because such great professionals can’t be ranked and it’s highly subjective. So, sit tight and explore the exemplary athletes that are top-tier. Let’s get started:
Ray Ewry:
Most of us don’t know but Ray was among the best in his category. Ewry specialized in the high jump, long jump, and triple jump. Ray Ewry participated in the 1900, 1904, and 1908 Olympics.
Such a sport was pretty difficult at that time. Considering the jumps were done from a standing position, Ray Ewry had mastered the art of jumping. Such mastery earned him the title of “The Human Frog”.
Ray bagged three golds for the high jump, three for the long jump, and two for the triple jump. That takes his tally of eight gold medals in three Olympics.
Usain Bolt:
This name needs no introduction. Commonly known as “The Fastest Man Alive”, Usain Bolt wreaked havoc on opponents in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympics. Usain Bolt competed in three different categories of Athletics in these Olympics.
Bolt competed in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, and 4×100-relay. He bagged gold in every category and every competition. This takes his tally to nine gold medals. However, due to the positive dope test of his teammate, Bolt was deprived of one gold medal. So, ending up with 8 golds isn’t bad at all.
Matt Biondi:
Matt Biondi was one of the most decorated American swimmers. Bondi was an excellent freestyle swimmer. Also, he won in the same discipline. He won 11 Olympic medals in the 1984, 1988, and 1992 Olympics.
Out of those 11 medals, eight were gold, two were silver, and one was bronze medal. Furthermore, Matt Bondi did exceptionally well in championship tournaments as well. Also, if you like many people want to relive historic Olympic moments, we suggest choosing a reliable internet like Optimum to avoid going through such an ordeal.
With its seamless connectivity, it ensures no buffering and loading time. You can watch live matches or highlights of any event you wish for. To find out more, you can visit Optimum’s website. Spanish customers can connect to Optimum servicio al cliente 24 horas for Spanish customer support.
Jenny Thompson:
Another American swimmer who makes it on the list. Jenny wasn’t only a good athlete. She was a multi-talented woman. After her retirement, Jenny took the challenge of becoming a doctor and became one.
Talking about her Olympic achievements, Jenny participated in four Olympics. She actively remained a member of America’s swimmer squad from 1992 to 2004. During her reign, she won 8 gold medals in relay discipline.
She also won silver and bronze medals in the 100-meter relay. So, it’s safe to say that she had an excellent professional career.
Birgit Fischer:
Fischer was a German canoeist who participated in whooping six Olympics. From 1980 to 2004, she represented Germany in canoe. However, she couldn’t participate in the 1984 Olympics due to GDR’s boycott.
Birgit Fischer won 12 medals throughout her Olympic career. Out of those 12 medals, 8 were gold. She won the gold twice in a single kayak, twice in tag, and four times in a team kayak. Also, she’s the only female Olympian ever to win two medals 20 years apart.
Mark Spitz:
Yet another American swimmer is on the list. However, Mark Spitz was different. He only took part in two Olympic games. He represented the USA in 1968 and 1972 and won nine gold medals.
In 1968 games, Spitz predicted to win all six golds. However, he ended up winning only two. But the 1972 games proved to be a boon for him. Mark Spitz won seven golds in all swimming disciplines. In addition, Spitz has a silver and a bronze medal to his name.
He won 100 and 200-meter freestyle and butterfly respectively. He also bagged gold in 4×100 and 200-meter freestyle and 4×100-meter medley.
Larissa Latynina:
Without a doubt, her medal tally suggests that she was the greatest. She won eighteen medals in three Olympic games from 1956 to 1964. Nine were gold, and she won five silvers and four bronze medals as a gymnast.
She represented the Ukrainian side of the Soviet Union. Her moves and high spirits always left a mark on the audience.
Michael Phelps:
Unarguably, the greatest swimmer there ever has been. Michael Phelps holds double the gold of any athlete who participated in the Olympics. His tally stands tall at 23 gold medals – a record.
He made his debut at the age of 15 in the 2000 Olympics. However, he failed to secure a position on the podium at that time. Phelps won eight golds at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Also, he broke Spitz’s record of 7 golds in a single Olympic game.
In the subsequent games, the results were no different. He won 28 medals, which included 23 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze medals.
Bottom Line
Every Olympian is a born winner. Some are lucky enough to bag medals, while some don’t. However, what matters is how athletes compete on the biggest stage, and for sure, competitors don’t get better than the above list.