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Several records have been broken and milestones have been set in past editions of the Olympics. We take a look at some of them here. read more
 "From youngest medallists to most successful athlete - all you need to know")
Mchael Phelps holds the record for most medals in Olympic history with 28 medals. Reuters
Only a week is left for the 2024 Paris Olympics to begin. The Paris Olympics will get underway in the French capital on 26 July, three years after the postponed Tokyo Olympics took place in Japan. Renewed hopes and fresh dreams will be on the minds of thousands of athletes across the globe as they aim to scale new heights and break barriers.
Paris Olympics Complete Coverage: Click here for news, schedule, explainers and more
Having said that, several records have been broken and milestones have been set in past editions of the Olympics. We take a look at some of them here:
Athletes and teams with most Olympic medals
Michael Phelps, the legendary American swimmer, holds the record for an athlete with most medals in Olympics history. The 39 year-old has won 28 Olympic medals, with 23 of these being gold medals. That is also a record number for the most gold medals won by a male athlete in the Olympics.
As for women, Larisa Latynina of the Soviet Union holds the record for most Olympic medals (18 medals). Nine of these medals are gold medals, which s also the record for most gold medals by a woman athlete in Olympics.
With regards to countries, United States of America have been the most dominant with 2,522 Olympic medals. A total of 1,022 medals from these are gold medals, which is the most that a single nation has won in the Olympics.
Athletes with most gold medals in single edition of Olympics
Once again, for male athletes, this record belongs to Michael Phelps. Phelps won eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Kristin Otto, a swimmer from Germany, holds that record for women with six gold medals at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.
At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, USA won 83 gold medals, a record that still stands in terms of countries with most gold medals in an Olympics edition.
Athletes with most consecutive golds in same event
USA’s Carl Lewis (long jump), Alfred Oerter (discus throw) and Denmark’s Paul Elvstrom (sailing) have clinched gold medals in four back-to-back editions of the Olympics and share top spot among male athletes. Kaoro Icho, a Japanese wrestler, leads the charts for women with four consecutive gold medals.
As for team events, Aladar Gerevich, a Hungarian fencer, leads the way with six consecutive golds representing the male sabre team. As for women’s team events, Lisa Leslie, a basketball player from USA, has won four consecutive Olympic golds.
Youngest medallists in Olympics
At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Denmark’s Inge Sorensen became the youngest female athlete to win an individual Olympic medal. The swimmer was just 12 years and 24 days old when she won the 200m breaststroke event.
Nils Skoglund, also from Denmark, became the youngest male athlete to win an individual Olympic medal. He was 14 years and 11 days old when he won silver at the plain high diving competition at the 1920 Antwerp Games.
Among team events, Dimitrios Loundras, a gymnast from Greece, was only 10 years and 218 years old when he became the youngest male to win an Olympic medal. He was part of the Greek parallel bars team at the 1896 Olympics, where the country won bronze.
Italy’s Luigina Giavotti became the youngest female medallist in a team event at the Olympics. At the 1928 Amsterdam Games, she won silver with the Italian gymnastics team.
Youngest gold medallists at Olympics
Marjorie Gestring of USA remains the youngest individual Olympic gold medallist. She was just 13 years and 268 days old when she clinched gold in the 3m springboard event at the 1936 Berlin Games.
Kusuo Kitamura of Japan is the youngest male individual gold medallist at the Olympics. He was 14 years and 309 days when he won the 1500m freestyle gold at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics.
Oldest Olympic champions
Oscar Swahn, a shooter from Seeden, was 72 years and 279 days when he became the oldest Olympic champion. He won gold in the 100m running deer double shots team event at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics.
USA’s Eliza Pollock is the oldest female to win an Olympic gold medal. At 63 years and 331 days, she clinched the archery event at the 1904 Olympics.
Athletes with most Olympic appearances
Ian Millar, an equestrian rider from Canada, has represented his country in 10 editions of the Olympics from 1972 to 2012. He won one silver medal.
Josefa Idem-Guerrini, a German-Italian canoer, holds that record for most Olympic appearances by a female athlete. She participated in eight Games editions from 1984 till 2008 winning one gold, two silver medals and one bronze.
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