Birgit Fischer

Birgit Fischer's eight Olympic gold medals in canoe sprint, won across six Games spanning 24 years, place her among the most decorated Olympians ever, yet she remains virtually unheard of outside Germany. Her total of 12 Olympic medals is three more than #2 Michael Phelps' 28 in swimming, but in a less prominent sport. Fischer's dominance is highlighted by her four consecutive golds from 1988 to 1996, a feat matched by only a handful of athletes, and her marathon 25% victory rate in world championships cements her as a pillar of canoeing.