Top 10 Greatest Olympic Athletes of All Time

Soviet gymnastics legend with 9 gold, 5 silver, 4 bronze = 18 Olympic medals across 1956-1964. Held the record for most Olympic medals for 48 years until Michael Phelps surpassed her in 2012.

The Flying Finn dominated distance running at three Olympics (1920-1928) earning 9 gold and 3 silver medals. Set 22 official world records from 1500m to 20km, revolutionising distance training methods.

American swimmer who won a stunning 7 gold medals and set 7 world records at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Career total: 9 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze across 1968 and 1972 Games. Set the gold-in-one-Games record that stood until Phelps.

American sprinter and long jumper who won 9 gold and 1 silver across 1984-1996 Olympics. Won 4 consecutive Olympic long jump gold medals and equalled Jesse Owens in winning 4 golds at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

Jamaican sprinter who dominated global athletics with 8 Olympic gold medals across 2008-2016. Set world records in the 100m (9.58s) and 200m (19.19s) in 2009, becoming the first man to hold both records simultaneously at the same championships.

American gymnast widely regarded as the greatest of all time: 7 Olympic medals (4 gold at 2016, 3 gold + 1 silver at 2024 Paris) and 30 World Championship medals. Has 4 gymnastics skills named after her due to unmatched difficulty.

American sprinter who won 4 gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics (100m, 200m, long jump, 4x100m relay), defying Nazi racial ideology in front of Adolf Hitler. Set world records that stood for 25 years.

Romanian gymnast who achieved the impossible at the 1976 Montreal Olympics: the first perfect 10.0 score in Olympic gymnastics history. Won 5 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze across 1976-1980 Games, revolutionising the sport at age 14.

German canoe and kayak champion who competed at 6 Olympics across a 24-year career (1980-2004), winning 8 gold and 4 silver medals. Only athlete to win gold medals 20 years apart, and the first woman to win gold at 5 separate Olympics.

Soviet gymnastics legend with 9 gold, 5 silver, 4 bronze = 18 Olympic medals across 1956-1964. Held the record for most Olympic medals for 48 years until Michael Phelps surpassed her in 2012.

The Flying Finn dominated distance running at three Olympics (1920-1928) earning 9 gold and 3 silver medals. Set 22 official world records from 1500m to 20km, revolutionising distance training methods.

American swimmer who won a stunning 7 gold medals and set 7 world records at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Career total: 9 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze across 1968 and 1972 Games. Set the gold-in-one-Games record that stood until Phelps.

American sprinter and long jumper who won 9 gold and 1 silver across 1984-1996 Olympics. Won 4 consecutive Olympic long jump gold medals and equalled Jesse Owens in winning 4 golds at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

Jamaican sprinter who dominated global athletics with 8 Olympic gold medals across 2008-2016. Set world records in the 100m (9.58s) and 200m (19.19s) in 2009, becoming the first man to hold both records simultaneously at the same championships.

American gymnast widely regarded as the greatest of all time: 7 Olympic medals (4 gold at 2016, 3 gold + 1 silver at 2024 Paris) and 30 World Championship medals. Has 4 gymnastics skills named after her due to unmatched difficulty.

American sprinter who won 4 gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics (100m, 200m, long jump, 4x100m relay), defying Nazi racial ideology in front of Adolf Hitler. Set world records that stood for 25 years.

Romanian gymnast who achieved the impossible at the 1976 Montreal Olympics: the first perfect 10.0 score in Olympic gymnastics history. Won 5 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze across 1976-1980 Games, revolutionising the sport at age 14.

German canoe and kayak champion who competed at 6 Olympics across a 24-year career (1980-2004), winning 8 gold and 4 silver medals. Only athlete to win gold medals 20 years apart, and the first woman to win gold at 5 separate Olympics.