List of famous Olympic gold medal winners from every event, with photos of the athletes when available. These historic Olympic gold medal winners are listed by popularity, so the most historic Olympians are at the top of the list. Olympic medalists who have won the gold medal are among an elite group, as many athletes who train their entire lives will never even qualify for the Olympics. The famous Olympic competitors on this list may have either competed in the Summer Olympics or Winter Olympics, but what they all have in common is that they each took home a gold medal.
The list you're viewing contains people like Michael Phelps and Kobe Bryant.
If you're trying to answer the questions, "Which Olympians have won a gold medal?" and "How many people have won an Olympic gold medal?" then this list has you covered.
This list includes notable gold medal winners from almost every Olympics. They didn't all get their own Wheaties boxes, but every person who has ever won a gold medal is impressive enough to be included in this list.
Place Of Birth: Baltimore,United States of America,Maryland
Nationality: United States of America
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metre butterfly,Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Men's 400 metre individual medley,Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 100 metre medley relay,Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay,Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay
Place Of Birth: Modesto,United States of America,California,Stanislaus County
Nationality: United States of America
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics - Men's 200 metre butterfly,Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay,Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metre freestyle,Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics - Men's 200 metre freestyle,Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metre butterfly
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's 200m butterfly,Men's 4x100m freestyle relay,Men's 100m freestyle,Men's 200m Freestyle,Men's 100m butterfly
Place Of Birth: East St. Louis,United States of America,Illinois,St. Clair County
Nationality: United States of America
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics - Women's Long Jump,Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Women's heptathlon,Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Women's Long Jump,Athletics at the 1992 Summer Olympics - Women's heptathlon,Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics - Women's heptathlon
Olympic Medalist Event: Women's Long jump,Women's Heptathlon
Place Of Birth: Winnipeg,Canada,Manitoba,Winnipeg Capital Region, Manitoba
Nationality: Canada
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Speed Skating at the 2002 Winter Olympics – Women’s 5000m,Speed Skating at the 2006 Winter Olympics - Women's 5000m,Speed skating at the 2006 Winter Olympics – Women's team pursuit,Cycling at the 1996 Summer Olympics - Women's individual road race,Cycling at the 1996 Summer Olympics - Women's road time trial
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Athletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men's long jump,Athletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres,Athletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men's 4x100 metre relay,Athletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metres
Place Of Birth: Drammen,Norway,Buskerud,Earth,Europe
Nationality: Norway
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Biathlon at the 2006 Winter Olympics – Men's mass start,Biathlon at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Men's relay,Biathlon at the 2006 Winter Olympics – Men's pursuit,Biathlon at the 2002 Winter Olympics - Men's 4 x 7.5 km Relay,Biathlon at the 1998 Winter Olympics - Men's 4 x 7.5 km relay
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's 15 km Mass Start,Men's 4x7.5 km Relay,Men's 12.5 km Pursuit,Men's 10 km Sprint,Men's 20 km Individual
Place Of Birth: West Des Moines,United States of America,Iowa,Dallas County,Polk County
Nationality: United States of America
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Gymnastics at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's artistic team all-around,Gymnastics at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's Floor,Gymnastics at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's Balance Beam,Gymnastics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's artistic individual all-around
Place Of Birth: Panorama City,Los Angeles,California,Los Angeles County,Greater Los Angeles Area
Nationality: United States of America
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics – Women’s Team,Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics – Women’s Team,Ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympics – Women’s Team,Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's tournament
Place Of Birth: Palo Alto,United States of America,California,Santa Clara County,San Francisco Bay Area
Nationality: United States of America
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Swimming at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Men's 50 metre freestyle,Swimming at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metre freestyle,Swimming at the 1988 Summer Olympics - men's 4 x 100 metre Freestyle,Swimming at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay,Swimming at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 100 metre medley relay
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's 50m freestyle,Men's 100m freestyle,Men's 4x100m freestyle relay,Men's 4x200m freestyle relay,Men's 100m butterfly
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Biathlon at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Men's relay,Biathlon at the 2006 Winter Olympics - Men's 10km Sprint,Biathlon at the 1998 Winter Olympics - Men's 20 km Individual,Biathlon at the 2006 Winter Olympics - Men's 20km Individual,Biathlon at the 2002 Winter Olympics - Men's 4 x 7.5 km Relay
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's 4x7.5 km Relay,Men's 10 km Sprint,Men's 20 km Individual
Place Of Birth: Merano,Italy,South Tyrol,Trentino-Alto Adige/South Tyrol,Province of Bolzano-Bozen
Nationality: Italy
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Luge at the 1994 Winter Olympics - Men's Singles,Luge at the 1998 Winter Olympics - Men's Singles,Luge at the 2006 Winter Olympics - Men's Singles,Luge at the 2002 Winter Olympics – Men's singles,Luge at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Men's singles
Place Of Birth: Emeryville,United States of America,Alameda County,California,San Francisco Bay Area
Nationality: United States of America
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay,Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay,Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay,Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 100 metre freestyle,Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 100 metre backstroke
Olympic Medalist Event: Women's 4x100m freestyle relay,Women's 4x200m freestyle relay,Women's 100m freestyle,Women's 100m backstroke,Women's 200m individual medley
Place Of Birth: Federal Way,Washington,King County,United States of America,United States
Nationality: United States of America
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Short track speed skating at the 2006 Winter Olympics – Men's 5000 metre relay,Short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Men's 1000 metres,Short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Men's 5000 metre relay,Short Track Speed Skating at the 2006 Winter Olympics – Men's 1000m,Short Track Speed Skating at the 2006 Winter Olympics – Men's 500m
Olympic Medalist Event: Men's 1000m,Men's 5000m Relay,Men's 500m,Men's 1500 m
Place Of Birth: Irvine,United States of America,California,Orange County
Nationality: United States of America
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 100 metre medley relay,Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 100 metre medley relay,Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay,Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metre freestyle,Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics - Men's 4x100 metre freestyle relay
Place Of Birth: Umeå,Västerbotten County,Västerbotten,Umeå Municipality,Sweden
Nationality: Sweden
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Alpine skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's Super Combined,Alpine skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics - Women's Slalom,Alpine skiing at the 2002 Winter Olympics – Women's slalom,Alpine skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics - Women's Downhill,Alpine skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics - Women's Combined
Place Of Birth: Jupiter,United States of America,Florida,Palm Beach County
Nationality: United States of America
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay,Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay,Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics - Women's 50 metre freestyle,Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics - Women's 100 metre freestyle,Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics - Women's 100 metre butterfly
Olympic Medalist Event: Women's 4x200m freestyle relay,Women's 4x100m freestyle relay,Women's 50m freestyle,Women's 100m freestyle,Women's 100m butterfly
Place Of Birth: Newport Beach,United States of America,California,Orange County
Nationality: United States of America
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Swimming at the 1996 Summer Olympics - Women's 200 metre breaststroke,Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Women's 200 metre breaststroke,Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Women's 200 metre Individual Medley,Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics - Women's 200 metre breaststroke,Swimming at the 1996 Summer Olympics - Women's 100 metre breaststroke
Place Of Birth: Dover,United States of America,New Hampshire,Strafford County,Seacoast Region
Nationality: United States of America
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay,Swimming at the 1996 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 100 metre medley relay,Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 100 metre medley relay,Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics - Women's 4x100 metre freestyle relay,Swimming at the 1992 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay
Olympic Medalist Event: Women's 4x100m freestyle relay,Women's 100m freestyle
Place Of Birth: Phoenix,United States of America,Arizona,Maricopa County
Nationality: United States of America
Olympic Medalist Event Competition: Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay,Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay,Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Men's 400 metre freestyle,Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics - Men's 400 metre freestyle,Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics - Men's 4x200 metre freestyle relay