These US Olympians have gained probably the most gold medals

PARIS, France — The Summer season Olympics are underway as hundreds of athletes put together to go for gold in Paris.

The USA leads the world by far in most gold medals gained in historical past, however a choose few athletes who had been — or nonetheless are — superstars of their sport carry a number of greater than most. 

A few of these present record-holders competing in Paris this 12 months and will improve their medal depend. 

Listed here are the People who’ve gained probably the most gold medals of any U.S. Olympians. 

The world’s most adorned Olympian, Michael Phelps dominated the swimming world till his retirement in 2016. 

Phelps certified for his first Olympics in 2000 at age 15, and by 2004 he was tying world information, successful eight medals at a single Video games with six gold and two bronze. In 2008, he gained his most medals but, taking house eight golds, breaking one other Olympic report. Phelps continued to rack up gold medals on the 2012 and 2016 Olympics for a complete of 23.

Swimmer Mark Spitz kicked off his Olympic profession with two group golds in 1968. 4 years later, he was probably the most profitable athlete on the 1972 Munich Video games, successful seven gold medals in swimming, a report that held till Michael Phelps overtook it in 2008. 

Carl Lewis, a monitor and subject famous person, is one in all solely a handful of Olympians to win a gold medal in the identical particular person occasion in 4 consecutive Olympic Video games. The sprinter and lengthy jumper gained 4 golds on the 1984 Los Angeles Video games, two in Seoul in 1988 and two on the 1992 Barcelona Video games. His ultimate gold medal win was within the lengthy leap on the 1996 Summer season Olympics in Atlanta. 

Jenny Thompson has gained probably the most gold medals of any American girl. The swimmer competed within the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 Summer season Olympics, incomes all eight of her gold medals in relay occasions. With 12 whole medals throughout 4 Olympic Video games, she has extra swimming medals than some other feminine Olympian. 

Swimmer Matt Biondi took house 5 gold medals on the Seoul Video games in 1988, setting a number of world information within the course of. Biondi competed within the Summer season Video games in 1984, 1988 and 1992.

Ray Ewry overcame polio as a boy to develop into a dominant monitor and subject jumper, setting information within the standing jumps that held for many years. He gained three gold medals on the 1900 Paris Video games, three gold medals on the 1904 London Video games, and two gold medals on the 1908 St. Louis Video games. 

Runner Allyson Felix is probably the most adorned girl in Olympic monitor and subject historical past, with seven gold medals and 11 whole from 5 consecutive Summer season Video games. 

With six relay wins in 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 and one particular person gold in 2012, Felix was the primary feminine monitor and subject athlete ever to win seven Olympic gold medals.

A powerhouse within the pool, Katie Ledecky gained a gold medal at 15 years outdated in her Olympic debut on the London Video games in 2012. 

Now identified for smashing world information and infrequently beating her opponents by large margins, the 27-year-old American heads to Paris trying so as to add to her six particular person Olympic gold medals. 

If Ledecky wins two gold medals in Paris, she’ll cross Jenny Thompson’s report. With a 3rd gold medal win, she’ll cross former Soviet Union gymnast Larisa Latynina to have probably the most gold medals of any girl in Olympic historical past. 

The 27-year-old American was a standout on the Tokyo Olympics, capturing 5 gold medals, however burnout led him to stroll away from the game in the course of the 2022 world championships. After an prolonged break, he didn’t qualify for the 2023 worlds. Dressel is the game’s most intriguing determine heading into the Paris Olympics.