Although the earliest games were said to be first heldin 776 B.C., the International Olympic Committee cites 1896 asthe year the firstOlympic Games of the modern era took place.
The first modern Games were in Athens, Greece in homage to the Olympics'Greek origins.However, the well-knownaward tradition of bronze, silver and gold medals did not begin until the 1904 St. Louis Olympics.
Originally, the Summer and Winter Olympics were held in the same year every four years. This tradition changedafter the 1992 Barcelona Summer and Albertville Winter Olympic Games. The Lillehammer Winter Games were held in 1994, starting a rotation where the Summer and Winter Olympics are two years apart.
There have been just under50 sports in the Summer gamesand 16in the Winter, meaning plenty of opportunities to win medals.
But who exactly is the most awarded Olympian?
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Who has the most Olympic medals?
The most decorated athletein Olympic history is American swimmer Michael Phelps with 28 medals, 23 of them gold.Following Phelps is USSR gymnastLarisa Latynina with 18 medals, nine being gold.
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Who has the most medals in the Summer Olympics?
Phelps with 28 and Latynina with 18 are tops hereas well, followed by Soviet gymnastNikolai Andrianovwith 15. Next is a tieamong three men:Soviet gymnast Boris Shakhlin,Italian fencer Edoardo Mangiarotti and Japanese gymnast Takashi Onoat 13 medals each.
After Latynina in terms of women is afive-way tie at 12 medalsamong Birgit Fischerwho competed for East Germany and then Germany in canoeing, Americans Jenny Thompson, Natalie Coughlin and Dara Torresinswimming, and Germany's Isabell Werth for equestrian.
Who has the most Olympic medals in the Winter Games?
According to Olympics.com,the most decorated Winter Olympian is Norway's Marit Bjørgen with 15 medals in cross-country skiing. She also is tied forthird-most medals in overall Olympic history.
The most decorated man in Winter Olympic history is also the second-most awarded Winter Olympian, Norway's Ole Einar Bjørndalenwith 13 medals in biathlon. Following Bjørndalen is Norway's Bjørn Dæhlie at 12 medals for cross-country skiing. The third-most decorated man in Winter Olympic history is atiebetweenSixten Jernberg of Sweden in cross-country skiingand Sven Kramer of The Netherlands in speed skating at nine medals.
Dutch speedskater Ireen Wüst is the second-most decorated female Winter Olympian with 11 medals. Third place is a tiebetweencross-country skiers Raisa Smetaniaof the USSR and Stefania Belmondoof Italy with 10 medals each.
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