The 2026 Winter Olympics are almost here.
While some of the most famous names in Olympic history have earned their gold during the Summer Games, winter sports also have some of the most medal-winning athletes.
Norwegian skier Marit Bjørgen and skier and biathlete Ole Einar Bjørndalen are among the most successful athletes, with 15 and 13 medals, respectively.
Most recently, in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, speed skater Ireen Wüst won her 12th and 13th medals, earning her spot among the most decorated athletes of all time.
With 28 medals, swimmer Michael Phelps continued to comfortably retain his title as the most decorated Olympian of all time.
From swimming and gymnastics to cross-country skiing and fencing, these 21 athletes have each won 12 or more Olympic medals, making them the most decorated Olympians of all time.
The medal counts below are according to the athletes’ official Olympic pages.
American swimmer Natalie Coughlin won 12 Olympic medals from 2004 to 2012, including three gold.
Competed for: USA
Sport: Swimming
Olympic years of participation: 2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing, 2012 London
Medal breakdown: 3 gold, 4 silver, 5 bronze
Alexei Nemov competed in three Olympics but won his 12 medals in his first two Games.
Competed for: Russia
Sport: Artistic gymnastics
Olympic years of participation: 1996 Atlanta, 2000 Sydney, 2004 Athens
Medal breakdown: 4 gold, 2 silver, 6 bronze
Dara Torres finished her Olympic career with 12 medals, the last of which came 24 years after her Olympic debut.
Competed for: USA
Sport: Swimming
Olympic years of participation: 1984 Los Angeles, 1988 Seoul, 1992 Barcelona, 2000 Sydney, 2008 Beijing
Medal breakdown: 4 gold, 4 silver, 4 bronze
Fellow American swimmer Ryan Lochte also has 12 Olympic medals, including six gold.
Competed for: USA
Sport: Swimming
Olympic years of participation: 2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing, 2012 London, 2016 Rio
Medal breakdown: 6 gold, 3 silver, 3 bronze
American Jenny Thompson is one of the most accomplished swimmers in history, with 12 Olympic medals.
Competed for: USA
Sport: Swimming
Olympic years of participation: 1992 Barcelona, 1996 Atlanta, 2000 Sydney, 2004 Athens
Medal breakdown: 8 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze
Japanese gymnast Sawao Katō won seven individual medals and four team medals for a total of 12 awards.
Competed for: Japan
Sport: Artistic gymnastics
Olympic years of participation: 1968 Mexico City, 1972 Munich, 1976 Montreal
Medal breakdown: 8 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze
Norwegian skier Bjørn Daehlie won 12 medals across three Olympics.
Competed for: Norway
Sport: Cross-country skiing
Olympic years of participation: 1992 Albertville, 1994 Lillehammer, 1998 Nagano
Medal breakdown: 8 gold, 4 silver
German kayaker Birgit Fischer won 12 medals, including her eighth and final gold in 2004 at the age of 42.
Competed for: Germany
Sport: Kayaking
Olympic years of participation: 1980 Moscow, 1988 Seoul, 1992 Barcelona, 1996 Atlanta, 2000 Sydney, 2004 Athens
Medal breakdown: 8 gold, 4 silver
Paavo Nurmi won 12 Olympic medals as a track and field athlete for Finland.
Competed for: Finland
Sport: Track and field
Olympic years of participation: 1920 Antwerp, 1924 Paris, 1928 Amsterdam
Medal breakdown: 9 gold, 3 silver
Takashi Ono competed in four Olympics, winning 13 medals across three games.
Competed for: Japan
Sport: Artistic gymnastics
Olympic years of participation: 1952 Helsinki, 1956 Melbourne, 1960 Rome, 1964 Tokyo
Medal breakdown: 5 gold, 4 silver, 4 bronze
Edoardo Mangiarotti won 13 medals for Italy as a fencer.
Competed for: Italy
Sport: Fencing
Olympic years of participation: 1936 Berlin, 1948 London, 1952 Helsinki, 1956 Melbourne, 1960 Rome
Medal breakdown: 6 gold, 5 silver, 2 bronze
Across five Olympic Games, Dutch speed skater Ireen Wüst has won 13 medals.
Competed for: The Netherlands
Sport: Speed skating
Olympic years of participation: 2006 Turin, 2010 Vancouver, 2014 Sochi, 2018 PyeongChang, 2022 Beijing
Medal breakdown: 6 gold, 5 silver, 2 bronze
Boris Shakhlin of the Soviet Union won 13 gymnastics medals during the 1950s and ’60s.
Competed for: The USSR
Sport: Artistic gymnastics
Olympic years of participation: 1956 Melbourne, 1960 Rome, 1964 Tokyo
Medal breakdown: 7 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze
Norwegian skier and biathlon athlete Ole Einar Bjørndalen has won 13 medals.
Competed for: Norway
Sport: Biathlon, Cross-country skiing
Olympic years of participation: 1994 Lillehammer, 1998 Nagano, 2002 Salt Lake City, 2006 Turin, 2010 Vancouver, 2014 Sochi
Medal breakdown: 8 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze
Swimmer Emma McKeon is the most decorated Australian Olympian of all time with 13 medals.
Competed for: Australia
Sport: Swimming
Olympic years of participation: 2016 Rio, 2020 Tokyo, 2024 Paris
Medal breakdown: 6 gold, 3 silver, 4 bronze
German equestrian Isabell Werth has competed in seven Olympics, winning 14 medals.
Competed for: Germany
Sport: Equestrian
Olympic years of participation: 1992 Barcelona, 1996 Atlanta, 2000 Sydney, 2008 Beijing, 2016 Rio, 2020 Tokyo, 2024 Paris
Medal breakdown: 8 gold, 6 silver
Katie Ledecky is the most decorated American woman in Olympic history, with 14 medals.
Competed for: USA
Sport: Swimming
Olympic years of participation: 2012 London, 2016 Rio, 2020 Tokyo, 2024 Paris
Medal breakdown: 9 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze
Soviet gymnast Nikolai Andrianov earned 15 medals.
Competed for: The USSR
Sport: Artistic gymnastics
Olympic years of participation: 1972 Munich, 1976 Montreal, 1980 Moscow
Medal breakdown: 7 gold, 5 silver, 3 bronze
Norwegian skier Marit Bjørgen has earned 15 medals across five Olympic Games.
Competed for: Norway
Sport: Cross-country skiing
Olympic years of participation: 2002 Salt Lake City, 2006 Turin, 2010 Vancouver, 2014 Sochi, 2018 PyeongChang
Medal breakdown: 8 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze
Larisa Latynina is the most decorated female Olympian and gymnast of all time, with 18 medals.
Competed for: The USSR
Sport: Artistic gymnastics
Olympic years of participation: 1956 Melbourne, 1960 Rome, 1964 Tokyo
Medal breakdown: 9 gold, 5 silver, 4 bronze
With 28 medals, Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian in history.
Competed for: USA
Sport: Swimming
Olympic years of participation: 2000 Sydney, 2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing, 2012 London, 2016 Rio
Medal breakdown: 23 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze
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