The Olympics in Rio finished last week and Great Britain ended up coming second in the medal table behind the United States but above China which no one predicted before the games.
Team GB also got more medals than they was predicted and had some fine individual and team performances – most notably from Jason Kenny, Laura Trott, Mo Farah and the GB Ladies hockey team.
Other athletes who shone during the games included Jamaica’s Usain Bolt who won three gold medals in athletics and USA’s Michael Phelp who won five gold medals and one silver in swimming.
Britain’s most successful gold medallists are cycling’s Chris Hoy and Jason Kenny who have six gold medals each followed by Bradley Wiggins and Steve Redgrave who both have four gold medals each.
In terms of worldwide athletes please see the below the top ten current Olympic gold medallists.
1- Michael Phelps who has won an astonishing twenty three gold medals in swimming from 2004-2016
2 – Larisa Latynini who was from the old Soviet Union who won nine gold medals in gymnastics from 1956-1964
3 – Paavo Nurmi – the Finnish athlete who won nine gold medals from 1920-1928 in athletics
4 – Mark Spitz – the swimmer from the USA who won nine gold medals from 1968-1972
5 – Carl Lewis – the USA short distance and long jumper who won nine gold medals between 1984 and 1996
6 – Usain Bolt – arguably the most popular and biggest athlete of all time who has nine gold medals from 2008-2016
7 – Birgit Fischer – the German canoeist who won eight gold medals from 1980-2004
8 – Sawao Kato – the Japanese gymnast who won eight gold medals from 1968-1976
9 – Jenny Thompson – the USA swimmer who won eight gold medals from 1992-2004
10 – Matt Biondi – the USA swimmer who won eight gold medals from 1984-1992
We hope this gives you a quick guide into the top gold medallists. The only athlete above who may compete in Tokyo in four years’ time is Usain Bolt but it is highly likely he will retire next year.