Every four years, when the Olympic Games come, the discussion about the medal table begins. There is curiosity about whether America or China will prevail in the Olympics. However, not only these two countries, but countries like Russia, Germany and Great Britain have also performed successfully in the Olympics. Although India is now consistently winning medals, it is far behind the leading countries. A look at which countries are far ahead in medal haul at the Olympics.
Who has won the most medals?
The United States has the most medals at the Olympics with 2,629. Not only in the gold medal count, but also in terms of the most medals, the US team is at the top. With the exception of the Moscow 1980 Olympics, the United States has won medals in every event. The US boycotted the Moscow Olympics. Looking at the competition’s history and present, the U.S. has more than a thousand medals, more than any other country. The US also has the most gold medals in the tournament’s history with 1,061.
How has Russia fared?
Russia’s Olympic team has always been controversial. However, Russia has 1,624 medals to its name. These include medals from the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, to the 1992 Unified Team and the 2021 Russian Olympic Committee team. It has 608 gold medals. Before its dissolution in 1991, the Soviet Union won 1,010 Olympic medals. Considering Russia alone, they have 423 medals and could drop to 12th place at this point. Russia played in Tokyo as a team of the ‘Russian Olympic Committee’ due to a doping ban. The team won 71 medals in Tokyo. Now there is a total ban on Russia due to the attack on Ukraine. This time, Russia’s Olympic qualifiers will play as neutrals in Paris.
Who is in third place?
Germany has been playing as one team since the unification of East and West Germany. East and West Germany together have 1,386 medals to their name heading into Tokyo. He is also third in the number of gold medals (438). Germany is unique in that it is the only team among the five most medal winning countries to have more silver and bronze medals than their gold medals. Germany has won 457 silver medals and 491 bronze medals. Excluding now-disbanded team and special delegation team medals, Germany has 655 medals to its name and would rank fourth or fifth.
Britain’s number four…
Britain is not far behind in maintaining dominance in the Olympic competition. So far, Britain has 916 medals to its name. They are number four. Britain has won 284 gold medals in all Olympic Games so far. Had only National Olympic Committee teams been approved to compete in the modern Olympics, Britain would have jumped to third place.
Which is the fifth ranked team?
China now ranks fifth with 636 medals since the modern Olympics began. Looking at the number of gold medals, China comes fifth. China has won 263 gold medals so far. China was lagging behind in the medal race, but in recent years, China has made rapid progress in its performance over the last four Olympics.
India at which rank?
India is lagging far behind in the race for Olympic medals. So far, India has won 10 gold, 9 silver and 16 bronze medals with a total of 35 medals, ranking 56th. Of India’s 10 gold medals, 8 are in the team sport of hockey, and two are individual medals. Abhinav Bindra and javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra are India’s individual gold medalists in shooting. Khashaba Jadhav won India’s first individual medal in wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. India recorded maximum 7 medals in Tokyo. Now Indian fans are hoping to double this number in Paris. So far India has not participated in only three Olympic Games – 1904, 1908 and 1912. India did not win a single medal in six events out of a total of 25 Olympics. Since 2008, India has won more than one medal in every event till Tokyo.
