Top 10 Gold Medalists
“If you fail to prepare, you’ve prepared to fail.”
– Mark Spitz, American swimmer and 9-time Olympic medalist
Sports have always been an integral part of society. The history of sports celebrates the greatness of many athletes and their achievements. It is one of the events wherein people would unite and cheer their favorite athlete; this would signify a celebration in itself.
The history of sports goes way back. There are many gold medalists who have made history in the Olympics. Olympic games were an integral part of the culture of the ancient Greeks. The Olympics were a great event that was held every four years from 776 BC to almost 393 AD. Every four years, many free men would take part in this grand event: soldiers, royals, farmhand shopkeepers, etc. Everyone who was free was allowed to take part in the Olympics. This Olympic Games was a religious festival in itself, where for the five days, all the men would come together from over the Mediterranean basin to enjoy this grand game. There were many events that were held in the Olympics, such as wrestling, chariot racing, running, jumping, throwing, etc. This game has no criteria for participation. The only rule was that the participants were not allowed to gauge or attack each other’s private parts. This game was held in honor of the Greek god Zeus. More than 50,000 people would travel to Olympia for a single event. The Olympics was a grand show that was held for five days where people would gather, and on the third day, hundreds of cows would be sacrificed and a grand barbecue would be held.
This place was a busy street with bustling shops where people would come with their friends and family. They would enjoy drinks, gossip, and conduct businesses. Olympians respected the game highly, and if anyone was found to have a false start, they would be awarded with corporal punishment. Athletes in their respective categories had no limit. They had to raise their index fingers to indicate their surrender, and many times they would die before trying to do so.
Even though, unlike today’s Olympics, where athletes are awarded with medals and people here talk about the top gold medallist, in the ancient Olympic games, the awards were crowns, palm branches, and ribbons.
Unlike today’s top gold medalists in the world, in the ancient Olympics they were awarded with a wild olive leaf crown. Crowns were made of various different types of leaves. The winners didn’t gain much financially from the game in itself, but the fame that they gained from winning this game was quite rewarding itself. The winners were given a hero’s welcome and received various benefits for the rest of their lives. Their statues would be erected, and citizens would offer coins to them at times. This athlete would take a political role and secure their futures. Olympic games lasted very long until the Christian emperor Theodosius forbade the game due to his belief in dissuading people from paganism. Eventually, Olympia was ruined, affected by abandonment, earthquakes, other calamities, etc.
The modern Olympic games were founded by a Frenchman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin. The first Olympic game after the re-discovery was held in 1896 in Athens.
- Michael Phelps
- Larisa Latynina
- Katie Ledecky
- Paavo Nurmi
- Caeleb Dressel
- Mark Spitz
- Carl Lewis
- Marit Bjørgen
- Ole Einar Bjørndalen
- Birgit Fischer
Michael Phelps
The top gold medalists in the sports have an immense amount of contribution and hard work towards achieving the same. One such top gold medalist on our list of the world’s most inspirational gold medalists is Michael Phelps. This former competitive American swimmer is a successful athlete, who in total has 28 medals under his name, out of which 23 hour gold medals. This from the United States has made a remarkable history of winning gold. He is considered an atom of an athlete who is the greatest when considered a global sports icon with gold medals winning. With the maximum number of gold medals in his active years from 2004 to 2016, he holds the all-time record.
Larisa Latynina
The next athlete on our list of legendary athletes who won gold medals is Larisa Latynina of the Soviet Union. She is a gymnast and won 18 medals in the Olympics during her active years from 1956 to 1964, out of which 9 are gold. This places her among the world’s most inspirational gold medalists. She made her debut in the Melbourne Olympic Games at the age of 21 and one of her first Olympic games. She eventually retired in 1966 and became the coach of the national gymnast team of the Soviet Union.
Katie Ledecky
The next athlete to be on our list of gold medalists who made history is 27-year-old Katie Ledecky. She is the competitive American swimmer who has won 14 medals from the 2012 to 2024 Olympics, out of which nine are gold. She was just 15 years old when she won her first gold medal in the London Olympics of 2012. She won her ninth Olympic gold medal in the 2024 Paris Winter Olympics.
Paavo Nurmi
Paavo Nurmi is one of the popular global sports icons with gold medals. This legendary Finnish runner was known as the Phantom Finn or Flying Finn. He won about 12 medals from 1920 to 1928, out of which nine were gold. Paavo won his first medal in the 1920 Summer Olympics. Eventually, after his retirement, he went on to become the coach of the Finnish Athletics Federation.
Caeleb Dressel
Another great American competitive swimmer is Caeleb Dressel. He is considered an astonishing athlete to be added to our list of the top 10 gold medalists in sports. He won nine golds and won a silver medal in the Olympics. He holds the American record for both 50 and 100 meter freestyle as well as butterfly. He has also won various titles due to his skills.
Mark Spitz
The sixth-gold medalist on our list of gold medalists who made history is Mark Spitz, popularly known as Mark the Shark. This former American competitor has won 11 medals in the Olympics, out of which nine out of gold, during his active years from 1968 till 1972. He started participating in international competitions at an early age of 15. Eventually, at the age of 22, he retired from competitive sports.
Carl Lewis
Carl Lewis is the next top gold medalist to be added to our legendary athletes who won gold medals. He won 10 medals in the Olympic Games, out of which nine are gold. The American athlete holds various records in the indoor long jump. He started taking part in various sports events under the coaching of his father at the early age of 13.
Marit Bjørgen
Marit Bjørgen is the Norwegian cross-country skier to be added to our list of the global sports icons with gold medals. She has 15 medals, of which eight are made of gold. She won her first gold medal in the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Ole Einar Bjørndalen
Ole Einar Bjørndalen is another cross-country skier from Norway. He has won 13 Olympic medals, out of which nine are made of gold. He is popularly known as the King of Biathlon due to his vigorous performance in his field. He started his sports career at an early age of 16. He is considered one of the top gold medalists, who is rightfully added to our list of the top gold medalists in the world.
Birgit Fischer
The final gold medalist to be added to our list of the world’s most inspirational gold medalists is Birgit Fischer. Fisher is a German kayaker who has eight gold medals under her name. She won her first gold medal in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. During her active year from 1982 to 2004, she has won a total of 12 Olympic medals.
