which person has won the most summer olympic medals ever?

Question

and in which sport?

How many? And in which sport?

Answer 1

Larissa Latynina (USSR) in the sport of Artistic Gymnastics.

She won a total of 18 medals 9-Gold, 5 Silver, 4 Bronze. She competed in the 1956, 60, and 64 games. Note she won 3 golds as part of the team combined exercise.

Answer 2

Russian gymnast Larissa Latynina holds the record for the most number of medals won at the Olympics. Incidentally, the number of medals won by her (18), is the most won by anyone in any discipline at the Olympics.

Within the three Olympics held between 1956 and 1964, she garnered nine golds, five silvers and four bronzes. She was crowned the Olympic Champion thrice for floor exercises — her super-speciality.


Larissa Latynina USSR Gymnastics 1956–1964 18
Nikolai Andrianov USSR Gymnastics 1972–1980 15
Paavo Nurmi FIN Athletics 1920–1928 12
Mark Spitz USA Swimming 1968–1972 11
Carl Lewis USA Athletics 1984–1996 10
Bjørn Dæhlie NOR Cross-country skiing 1992–1998 12
Birgit Fischer GER Canoeing (flatwater) 1980–2004 12
Sawao Kato JPN Gymnastics 1968–1976 12
Jenny Thompson USA Swimming 1992–2004 12
Matt Biondi USA Swimming 1984–1992 11
Gary Hall, Jr. USA Swimming 1996–2004 10
Ray Ewry USA Athletics 1900–1908 10
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/olympic_games

Answer 3

Larissa Latynina a 50's-60's Soviet gymnist has won 18 Olympic medals including 9 gold

Mark Spitz , american swimmer, holds the record for most gold medals won in a single Olympic Games 1972 Summer Olympics with 7 golds in 7 events. He's the only person ever to win the gold medal in every single event in which he entered, and create a new world record in every one of those events as well.