who has won the most olympic medals
Michael Phelps holds the record for the most Olympic medals.
American swimmer Michael Phelps has won 28 Olympic medals, more than any other
athlete in history, spanning five Games from 2000 to 2016.
Top Medal Winners
Here's a breakdown of athletes with the most total Olympic medals (gold, silver, bronze combined), combining Summer and Winter Games records as of early 2026.
| Rank | Athlete | Country | Total Medals | Gold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Phelps | USA (Swimming) | 28 | 23 |
| 2 | Larisa Latynina | Soviet Union (Gymnastics) | 18 | 9 |
| 3 | Marit Bjørgen | Norway (Cross-country skiing) | 15 | 8 |
| 4 | Nikolai Andrianov | Soviet Union (Gymnastics) | 15 | 7 |
| 5 | Katie Ledecky | USA (Swimming) | 14 | 10 |
By Gold Medals
Phelps also leads in golds with 23, far ahead of others like Ledecky (10) or Bjørgen (8). No one has surpassed these totals post-Paris 2024 or ahead of Milano Cortina 2026.
Historical Context
Phelps dominated swimming across four Olympics, turning medals into a legacy of dominance—imagine churning out hardware like a factory in the pool. Latynina's 1950s-60s haul reflects gymnastics' medal-rich era, while Bjørgen's Nordic endurance shines in Winter sports.
Records stand firm in February 2026; no recent challengers like Ledecky have closed the gap yet.
TL;DR: Phelps reigns supreme at 28 medals—no changes as of 2026.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.
