Image copyright: Getty Images
Success at the Olympics is measured by medals with gold the obvious goal, but silver and bronze pose a good consolation for those who train day and night to perform at the pinnacle of world sport.
Since the inception of the Summer Olympics in 1896 and Winter Olympics in 1924 there has been countless medalists, but a few stand out above the rest.
Betway takes a look at five of the most successful Olympians of all time, who won a cumulative total of 89 medals between them!
Ole Einar Bjørndalen (13 medals, Biathlon)
The most successful male athlete in Winter Olympics history, the "King of Biathlon" won 13 medals (eight gold, four silver and one bronze) across four Olympics.
After failing to medal in his native Norway at the 1994 Olympic Games, he won a gold and silver in Japan four years later.
Bjørndalen followed that up with four gold medals at the 2002 showpiece in Salt Lake City, three medals (two silver and one bronze) in Turin followed by two medals (one silver and one gold) in Vancouver and finally two gold medals at his final Olympics in Sochi six years ago.
Nikolai Andrianov (15 medals, Gymnastics)
The former Soviet Union gymnast held the record for men for the most Olympic medals at 15 (7 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze medals) before the emergence of Michael Phelps.
Andrianov, who sadly passed away in 2011, won three medals at his first Olympic Games in 1972 before dominating the 1976 gymnastics competition in Montreal where he walked away with four gold, two silver and a bronze medal. He won two more gold medals in Moscow at his third and final Olympics before turning to coaching.
In 2001, he was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.
Marit Bjørgen (15 medals, Cross-country skiing)
The Norwegian cross-country skier is the most decorated Winter Olympics athlete in history with 15 medals.
Bjørgen won a grand total of eight golds, four silver and three bronze across five Olympic Games. She made her debut at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake, winning silver in the 4 x 5km relay. She followed that up with another silver medal in 2006 before claiming five medals (three gold, one silver, one bronze) at the 2010 Olympics hosted in Vancouver.
She won three gold medals at the 2014 Olympics before another five (two gold, one silver and two bronze) at the age of 37 in Pyeongchang, South Korea two years ago.
Enter the daily draw for a chance to win a share of K10,000 everyday! Get the details about our More than sports promotion.
Larisa Latynina (18 medals, Gymnastics)
Latynina is the most successful female athlete in Olympic history having accumulated a grand total of 18 medals across three Olympic Games for the Soviet Union.
She was to credit for establishing the Soviet Union as a world powerhouse in gymnastics from 1956-1964 and with nine golds scattered across three Games she is tied second for the most top of the podium finishes in Olympic history.
She won six Olympic medals in Melbourne (four gold, one silver and one bronze) at the 1956 Olympics, a further six (three gold, two silver and one bronze) at the 1960 Games hosted in Rome and six (two gold, two silver and two bronze) more in Tokyo at the 1964 Games.
Michael Phelps (28 medals, Swimming)
The American swimmer is the most decorated athlete in Olympic history. In total, he won 28 Olympic medals which include a record 23 gold, three silver and two bronze.
He won eight of those gold medals at the 2008 showpiece in Beijing, China where he beat Mark Spitz's record of medals at a single Summer Olympic Games which had stood since 1972, with victory in the 4×100-meter medley relay.
Phelps won eight medals (six gold, two bronze) in Athens at the 2004 Olympics, followed by the eight gold in Beijing, six medals (four gold, two silver) in London at the 2012 Games and a further six (five gold and one silver) in Rio de Janeiro four years ago at the age of 31 for a grand total of 28 and 10 more medals than anyone else in the history of the Olympic Games.
Enter the daily draw for a chance to win a share of K10,000 everyday! Get the details about our More than sports promotion.
For all the latest sports news, betting tips and promotions follow
Betway on
Facebook,
Twitter,
Instagram and
YouTube.
Download the Betway App.