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Rankings & Lists

Greatest Olympic Athletes of All Time

The greatest Olympic athletes across every sport and era.

50Athletes Ranked

The greatest Olympic athletes across every sport and era.

1
MP

American·Swimming

Michael Phelps

American swimmer and most decorated Olympian in history with 28 Olympic medals including 23 golds across four Olympic Games from 2004-2016.

23 Olympic golds · 28 Olympic medals

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2
UB

Jamaican·Athletics

Usain Bolt

The fastest human in recorded history — world record holder at 100m (9.58s) and 200m (19.19s) and eight-time Olympic gold medallist.

9 Olympic golds · 11 world titles

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3
CL

American·Athletics

Carl Lewis

Nine-time Olympic gold medallist and winner of four consecutive long jump titles at the Games — widely considered the greatest track and fie

9 Olympic golds · 8 world titles

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4
JO

American·Athletics

Jesse Owens

The hero of the 1936 Berlin Olympics — won four gold medals in front of Adolf Hitler, directly challenging Nazi ideology of racial supremacy

4 Olympic golds · 6 world records

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5
NC

Romanian·Gymnastics

Nadia Comăneci

Romanian gymnast who became the first to score a perfect 10 in Olympic history and won 5 Olympic golds, revolutionizing women's gymnastics.

5 Olympic golds · 9 Olympic medals

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6
SB

American·Gymnastics

Simone Biles

American artistic gymnast widely considered the greatest of all time with 7 Olympic golds and 25 World Championship medals including 19 gold

7 Olympic golds · 23 world titles

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7
LL

Soviet·Gymnastics

Larisa Latynina

Soviet gymnast who dominated the sport in 1950s-60s, holding record for most Olympic medals (18) until Michael Phelps surpassed her in 2012.

9 Olympic golds · 18 Olympic medals

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8
MS

American·Swimming

Mark Spitz

American swimmer who dominated the 1972 Munich Olympics, winning seven gold medals and setting seven world records in a single Games perform

7 Olympic golds · 9 Olympic medals

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9
SS

British·Rowing

Sir Steve Redgrave

British rowing legend who won five consecutive Olympic gold medals from 1984-2000, making him one of Britain's greatest Olympians of all tim

5 Olympic golds · 6 Olympic medals

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10
SH

Norwegian·Winter Sports

Sonja Henie

Norwegian figure skater who dominated women's skating from 1927-1936, winning 3 Olympic golds and 10 consecutive World Championships before

3 Olympic golds

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11
BD

Norwegian·Winter Sports

Björn Dæhlie

Norwegian cross-country skier widely regarded as the greatest in the sport's history, with 8 Olympic golds and 17 World Championship titles.

8 Olympic golds

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12
EH

American·Winter Sports

Eric Heiden

Five gold medals at Lake Placid 1980 across every speed skating distance — the greatest single-Games performance in Winter Olympics history.

5 Olympic golds

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13
FG

American·Athletics

Florence Griffith-Joyner

Flo-Jo — the fastest woman in history whose world records of 10.49s (100m) and 21.34s (200m) have stood for over 35 years.

3 Olympic golds · 1 world titles

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14
JJ

American·Athletics

Jackie Joyner-Kersee

American track and field athlete widely considered the greatest female multi-event athlete of all time, holding the heptathlon world record

3 Olympic golds · 4 world titles

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15
SM

British/Somali·Athletics

Sir Mo Farah

British-Somali long-distance runner, four-time Olympic champion and six-time World Champion in 5000m and 10000m events, knighted in 2017

4 Olympic golds · 6 world titles

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16
KL

American·Swimming

Katie Ledecky

American swimmer widely regarded as the greatest female distance swimmer of all time, holding multiple world records in freestyle events.

7 Olympic golds · 10 Olympic medals

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17
KU

Japanese·Gymnastics

Kohei Uchimura

Japanese artistic gymnast widely considered the greatest male gymnast of all time, winning consecutive Olympic all-around titles in 2012 and

3 Olympic golds · 7 Olympic medals

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18
SK

Malian·Football

Seydou Keita

Elegant and technically brilliant Malian midfielder whose creativity and goals graced Barcelona, Lyon and the Premier League during a distin

121 career goals · 25 international goals

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19
HK

Australian·Football

Harry Kewell

Australia's most naturally gifted footballer, a left winger whose technical brilliance earned him a move to Liverpool and a distinguished Eu

80 career goals · 17 international goals

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20
NO

Argentine·Football

Nicolás Otamendi

Uncompromising Argentine centre-back and World Cup winner whose relentless defending and leadership made him one of the most reliable defend

4 international goals

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21
CB

Chilean·Football

Claudio Bravo

Agile and commanding Chilean goalkeeper who captained Chile to Copa América glory and was a Champions League winner with Barcelona.

2015× Champions League

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22
SK

Japanese·Football

Shinji Kagawa

Japan's most naturally gifted modern midfielder, whose dribbling brilliance and technical mastery earned him success at Borussia Dortmund an

31 international goals

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23
PA

Argentine·Football

Pablo Aimar

Argentine attacking midfielder and playmaker who won Olympic gold in 2004 and was known for his exceptional technical ability and vision on

125 career goals · 10 international goals

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24
MP

American·Basketball

Michael Porter Jr.

Smooth and highly talented Denver Nuggets forward who overcame serious injury to help win the franchise's first NBA Championship in 2023.

2023× champion · 14.7 ppg career

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25
AH

Dominican·Basketball

Al Horford

Veteran big man and NBA champion whose professional approach and two-way versatility have earned him respect across a long and distinguished

2024× champion

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26
DW

American·Basketball

Derrick White

Versatile and underrated defensive guard whose elite shot-blocking and winning pedigree earned him an NBA Championship with the Boston Celti

2024× champion

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27
JH

American·Basketball

Josh Hart

High-energy, relentlessly hustling forward whose motor, rebounding and winning spirit made him a fan favourite at the Knicks and Celtics.

2024× champion

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28
KP

Latvian·Basketball

Kristaps Porziņģis

Unicorn Latvian big man whose shot-blocking and three-point shooting make him one of the most unique and dynamic centers in the modern NBA.

2024× champion

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29
AG

American·Basketball

Aaron Gordon

Versatile and explosive Denver big man whose athleticism and toughness were crucial to the Nuggets' first NBA Championship in 2023.

2023× champion

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30
RC

Ecuadorian·Cycling

Richard Carapaz

Ecuadorian professional cyclist who became the first rider from Ecuador to win a Grand Tour, claiming the 2019 Giro d'Italia and Olympic gol

2019 grand tour wins

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31
MC

Australian·Tennis

Margaret Court

The record-holder with 24 Grand Slam singles titles — the most of any player in history.

62 Grand Slams · 192 titles

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32
BJ

American·Tennis

Billie Jean King

The Battle of the Sexes — the most important tennis match in history, for reasons beyond sport.

39 Grand Slams · 52 weeks at No.1

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33
JT

Norwegian·Winter Sports

Johannes Thingnes Bø

Norwegian biathlete who became one of the most dominant athletes in the sport, winning multiple Olympic golds and World Championship titles

5 Olympic golds · 20 world titles

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34
ND

Serbian·Tennis

Novak Djokovic

24-time Grand Slam champion and world No.1 for a record 428 weeks — the most statistically successful player in tennis history.

24 Grand Slams · 428 weeks at No.1

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35
TJ

Norwegian·Winter Sports

Therese Johaug

Norwegian cross-country skier who dominated women's distance events, winning multiple Olympic golds and World Championship titles in the 201

4 Olympic golds · 12 world titles

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36
SG

German·Tennis

Steffi Graf

The only player to achieve the Golden Slam — all four Grand Slams and Olympic gold in the same year (1988).

22 Grand Slams · 377 weeks at No.1

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37
JH

Norwegian·Winter Sports

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo

Norwegian cross-country skier and sprint specialist, multiple Olympic and World Championship gold medalist, dominant force in modern cross-c

5 Olympic golds · 18 world titles

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38
SW

American·Tennis

Serena Williams

23-time Grand Slam champion and the greatest female athlete of her generation — transformed tennis and redefined possibility.

23 Grand Slams · 319 weeks at No.1

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39
RN

Spanish·Tennis

Rafael Nadal

King of Clay — 14-time French Open champion and holder of a record 22 Grand Slams, one of the greatest athletes of any sport.

22 Grand Slams · 209 weeks at No.1

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40
BF

German·Rowing

Birgit Fischer

German canoeist and kayaker, the most successful female Olympic paddler in history with 8 Olympic gold medals spanning six Games from 1980-2

8 Olympic golds · 12 Olympic medals

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41
EM

Australian·Swimming

Emma McKeon

Australian swimmer and most successful Olympian in Australian history, holding the record for most medals won by any athlete at a single Oly

7 Olympic golds · 11 Olympic medals

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42
MB

American·Swimming

Matt Biondi

American swimmer who dominated sprinting events in the 1980s and early 1990s, winning 8 Olympic gold medals and setting multiple world recor

8 Olympic golds · 11 Olympic medals

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43
MF

American·Swimming

Missy Franklin

American swimmer who dominated backstroke and freestyle events, winning 5 Olympic gold medals and 11 World Championship golds during her car

6 Olympic golds · 7 Olympic medals

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44
VČ

Czech·Gymnastics

Věra Čáslavská

Czech gymnast who dominated women's gymnastics in the 1960s, winning 7 Olympic gold medals and 4 World Championship titles with graceful art

7 Olympic golds · 11 Olympic medals

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45
FC

Italian·Cycling

Fausto Coppi

Italian cycling legend and twice Tour de France and Giro d'Italia champion of the 1940s and 1950s, whose rivalry with Gino Bartali defined a

5× Tour de France · 5 grand tour wins

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46
JA

French·Cycling

Jacques Anquetil

French professional cyclist who became the first rider to win the Tour de France five times, dominating time trials and stage races in the 1

5× Tour de France · 8 grand tour wins

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47
VS

Belarusian·Gymnastics

Vitaly Scherbo

Belarusian gymnast who won six Olympic gold medals at Barcelona 1992, the most by any athlete at a single Olympics in gymnastics history.

6 Olympic golds · 10 Olympic medals

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48
EL

Romanian·Rowing

Elisabeta Lipă

Romanian rower who became the most successful female Olympic rower in history, winning 5 gold medals and 8 total Olympic medals across six G

5 Olympic golds · 8 Olympic medals

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49
FM

American·Boxing

Floyd Mayweather

American professional boxer who retired undefeated with a 50-0 record, widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive fighters of all time

50-0 · 27 KOs

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50
LC

New Zealander·Rowing

Lisa Carrington

New Zealand canoeist and sprint kayaker, multiple Olympic gold medalist and world champion, considered one of the greatest paddlers of all t

5 Olympic golds · 6 Olympic medals

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