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Usain Bolt – The Rio Possibles

By winning sprint gold medals at Rio de Janeiro in 2016, Usain Bolt will also set several Olympic records and bests. The following details which records Bolt may achieve in Rio. These are all contingent, and may change, based upon any loss of relay medals that may occur because of the recent re-test positive for PEDs by his Jamaican relay teammate Nesta Carter from the 2008 Olympics.

If He Wins All Three Sprint Gold Medals in Rio, Usain Bolt Will …

  • Equal the athletics record of 9 Olympic gold medals, held by Paavo Nurmi (FIN, 1920-28), and Carl Lewis (USA, 1984-96). Of note, Ray Ewry won 10 Olympic gold medals, if one includes his 2 titles in 1906. In all sports, four Olympians have won 9 Olympic gold medals, as follows: Larysa Latynina (URS-GYM), Mark Spitz (USA-SWI), and Nurmi and Lewis.
  • Trail only Michael Phelps’ 18 gold medals in swimming (through London 2012) in all Olympic sports, and Ray Ewry’s 10 athletics gold medals, if one includes 1906.
  • Become only the second person to win 3 or more Olympic gold medals in at least 3 Olympic events. The only person who has achieved this to date is Michael Phelps in swimming, with 3 gold medals in 4 events – 100 butterfly, 200 IM, 4×200 freestyle relay, and 4×100 medley relay.
  • Become only the second person to win 3 gold medals at 3 Olympic Games, equaling the mark of Michael Phelps, who achieved this in swimming in 2004, 2008, and 2012.

If He Wins the 100-200 in Rio, Usain Bolt Will …

  • Become only the 3rd person to win 3 Olympic golds in 2 individual events, equalling Michael Phelps (USA/SWI – 100 butterfly and 200 IM, 2004-12), and Ray Ewry (USA/ATH – standing high jump and standing long jump, 1900-08). Ewry won both of those events 4 times, if one includes 1906.

However, …

It should be noted that the actual athletics “Olympic” record, and the record for the sprints, is held by Leonidas of Rhodes, and Bolt would still trail Leonidas, who won 12 titles at the Ancient Olympic Games, winning the stadion (about 195 yards), diaulos (about 380 yards) and hoplite race, or race in armour, at four consecutive Olympic Games from 164-152 BC.

Rio 2016 – Here We Go

OK, the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics are dawning upon us – with the Opening Ceremony only 8 days away (5 August). So we will be revving up on olympstats.com to provide you all the data you need to closely follow the happenings and understand what may happen, what could happen, and then what did happen. We will always release our stats by first tweeting about them at @bambam1729.

Next week, we’ll be releasing Stat Sheets for Overall Olympic Records, and then Stat Sheets for each of the Sports on the 2016 Olympic Program, but prior to that, over the next few days, we’ll be providing data sheets on some of the best known athletes coming into the Rio Olympics, athletes such as Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, Saori Yoshida, Allyson Felix, and more. All of these will be on top Olympic athletes and detail what they may achieve in Rio.

As one of our OlyMADMen likes to say, watch this space.

 

Bill Mallon MD

Olympic National Winning Streaks and Dominance

Going into Rio, the USA women’s eight in rowing has now been unbeaten since 2010, also winning the gold medal in 2008 and 2012. Impressive but that is actually “only” 2 consecutive Olympic gold medals. We often get asked what have been the longest streaks or the most dominance performance by nations in team sports, team events, individual events, and sports. Not easy to rank them, but for these categories we have prepared separate lists, which are given in chronologic order only.

Team Sports

  • Canada – ice hockey (men) – gold 1920-32, 1948-52 – 4 consecutive golds, 6 of 7 consecutive golds, won 37 of 43 games (lost 3, tied 3)
  • India – hockey (field) (men) – gold 1928-36, 1948-56 – 6 consecutive golds, won 30 consecutive matches
  • USA – basketball (men) – gold 1936, 1948-68 – 7 consecutive golds, won 62 consecutive games
  • Soviet Union – ice hockey (men) – gold 1956, 1964-76, 1984-88 – 4 consecutive golds, 7 of 9 consecutive golds, won 56 of 63 games (lost 5, tied 2)
  • USA – basketball (women) – gold 1984-88, 1996-2012 – 5 consecutive golds (ongoing), 7 of 8 consecutive golds, won 41 consecutive games (1992-2012, ongoing)

Team Events

  • USA – rowing eights (men) – gold 1920-36, 1948-56 – 8 consecutive golds
  • Soviet Union / Unified Team – gymnastics team (women) – 1952-80, 88-92 – 8 consecutive golds, and 10 of 11 golds
  • Japan – gymnastics team (men) – 1960-76 – 5 consecutive golds
  • USA – swimming 4×100 medley relay (men) – 13 of 14 gold medals (1960-2012), missing only 1980 when the USA did not compete and Australia won gold. Two streaks of 5 consecutive golds (1960-76), and 8 consecutive golds (1984-2012), which is ongoing entering Rio.
  • USA – swimming 4×100 freestyle relay (men) – 1964-72, 1984-96 – 8 consecutive golds – the event was not contested in 1976 or 1980.
  • Soviet Union / Unified Team / Russia – figure skating pairs – 1964-2014 – 13 of 15 golds; 1 each by Canada and China
  • Soviet Union / Unified Team / Russia – figure skating dance – 1976-2014 – 7 of 11 golds; 1 each by Canada, France, Great Britain, and USA
  • USA – swimming 4×200 freestyle relay (women) – 4 of 5 golds (1996-2012), losing only in 2008 to Australia.

Individual Events

  • USA – athletics pole vault (men) – 1896-1968 – 16 consecutive golds. Of note, in 1906, the USA did not win this event, which was won by Fernand Gonder of France.
  • USA – athletics 110 metre hurdles (men) – 20 of 28 golds; 2 by Canada and Cuba, 1 each by China, France, German Democratic Republic (East Germany), and South Africa.
  • USA – athletics long jump (men) – 20 of 28 golds; 2 by Great Britain, 1 each by Cuba, German Democratic Republic (East Germany), Panama, and Sweden.
  • Kenya – athletics 3,000 m steeplechase (men) – 1968-2012 – 10 of 12 gold medals, 21 of 36 medals won

Sports

  • USA – diving (both) – 1920-56 – 78 of 102 medals won by USA divers (next most was Sweden with 8), 30 of 34 golds won by USA divers (1 each by Australia, Denmark, Mexico, and Sweden); in this era, USA divers swept the medals in 17 of 34 events. During this time, 3 divers from each nation were allowed per event, so this can no longer occur.
  • China – table tennis (both) – 1988-2012 – won 24 of 28 gold medals (next most is 3 by Korea), and 47 of 88 medals in all. Chinese women have won 13 of 14 events, and Chinese men have won 11 of 14 events. In 1996, 2000, 2008, and 2012, Chinese table tennis players won all 4 events on the program.
  • Korea (South) – archery (women) – 1988-2012 – 13 of 14 gold medals, including 7 of 7 team gold medals, and 21 of 42 medals
  • China – badminton (women) – 1992-2012 – 9 of 12 gold medals, 22 of 38 medals
  • China – diving (both) – 1992-2012 – 30 of 40 golds won by Chinese divers (4 Russia, 3 USA, 2 Australia, and 1 Greece); 70 of 120 medals won by Chinese divers (next most was Russia / Unified Team with 21) – note that after 1980, only 2 divers or diving team have been allowed per nation per event.

5K-10K-Marathon Triplers

Here is the list of the 17 Olympians to have run the 5K, 10K, and Marathon at the same Olympics

[table]

year,name,noc

1924,Alexandros Kranis,GRE

1932,Lauri “Lasse” Virtanen,FIN

1948,Luo Wengao,CHN

1952,Emil Zátopek,TCH

1960,Allan Lawrence,AUS

1964,Ron Clarke,AUS

1964,Tony Cook,AUS

1964,János Pintér,HUN

1968,Rafael Pérez,CRC

1968,Mamo Wolde,ETH

1968,Naftali Temu,KEN

1968,Benjamin Silva-Netto,PHI

1968,Mustafa Musa,UGA

1976,Lasse Virén,FIN

1976,Rodolfo Gómez,MEX

1984,Omar Aguilar,CHI

1984,Tau John Tokwepota,PNG

[/table]

Jordan Wilimovsky – Open Water and Pool Swimming

Jordan Wilimovsky qualified tonight for the US Olympic Team in 1,500 metre freestyle swimming. Wilimovsky was already on the team, having won the 2015 World Championships in open water swimming. He will likely compete in Rio in both open water swimming and pool swimming, in the 1,500 free. Open water swimming has only been on the Olympic Program since 2008, but this has been done before at the same Olympics, although never by an @TeamUSA swimmer.

This has been accomplished 13 times – 8 times in 2008 and 5 times in 2012. It has been done 8 times by women, and 5 times by men. Of note, Oussama Mellouli of Tunisia won medals in London in both disciplines – winning gold in open water swimming, and a bronze in the 1,500 freestyle. Mellouli had won the 1,500 free gold medal at Beijing in 2008.

[table]

year,class,name,noc

2008,Women,Melissa Gorman,AUS

2008,Women,Kristel Köbrich,CHI

2008,Women,Keri-Anne Payne,GBR

2008,Women,Cassie Patten,GBR

2008,Women,Andreina Pinto,VEN

2012,Women,Cecilia Biagioli,ARG

2012,Women,Erika Villaecija,ESP

2012,Women,Éva Risztov,HUN

2008,Men,Petar Stoychev,BUL

2008,Men,David Davies,GBR

2008,Men,Spyros Gianniotis,GRE

2012,Men,Daniel Fogg,GBR

2012,Men,Oussama Mellouli,TUN

[/table]

Allyson Felix – The Possibles for Her in Rio

Having made the US Team in the 400, Allyson Felix will compete at her 4th Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Felix is attempting to win the 200-400 metre double, which has only been done previously by Valerie Brisco-Hooks (USA-1984), Michael Johnson (USA-1996), and Marie-José Pérec (FRA-1996). If she qualifies in both events, Felix will likely also run relays for the United States, possibly in both the 4×100 and 4×400, giving her 4 possible chances at medals and gold medals. Here are the possible things she can achieve:

If She Wins One Medal in Rio, Allyson Felix Will …

  • Win her 7th Olympic medal, moving her ahead of Jackie Joyner-Kersee among @TeamUSA women. With 6 medals, Felix and Joyner-Kersee currently have the most medals of any American women in track & field athletics.
  • Move into a tie for 2nd among all women, with 7 Olympic medals in track & field athletics. The current record is 9 by Merlene Ottey (JAM), with 3 women having won 7 medals – Irena Szewinska-Kirszenstein (POL), Shirley Strickland-de la Hunty (AUS), and Veronica Campbell-Brown (JAM).
  • Move into a tie for 5th among all US women in any sport, with 7 Olympic medals. Three US swimmers have won 12 Olympic medals – Dara Torres, Jenny Thompson, and Natalie Coughlin; while Shirley Babashoff stands 4th among US women with 8 Olympic swimming medals.

If She Wins Two Medals in Rio, Allyson Felix Will …

  • Move into 2nd among all women in track & field athletics, with 8 medals, trailing only Merlene Ottey (JAM), who has 9.
  • Move into a tie for 4th among US women in any sport, with 8 Olympic medals. Three US swimmers have won 12 Olympic medals – Dara Torres, Jenny Thompson, and Natalie Coughlin. Felix will tie Shirley Babashoff, who currently stands 4th among US women with 8 Olympic swimming medals.

If She Wins Three Medals in Rio, Allyson Felix Will …

  • Move into a tie for 1st among all women in track & field athletics, with 9 medals, equalling Merlene Ottey (JAM).
  • Move into a tie for 3rd among all track & field athletes, with 9 medals, trailing only Paavo Nurmi (FIN) with 12, and Carl Lewis (USA) with 10. Counting the 1906 Olympics, Felix would also trail Ray Ewry (USA) with 10 (8, not including 1906) and equal Martin Sheridan (USA) with 9 (4, not including 1906).
  • Move into 4th among all US women in any sport, with 9 Olympic medals. Three US swimmers have won 12 Olympic medals – Dara Torres, Jenny Thompson, and Natalie Coughlin. Felix will surpass Shirley Babashoff, who currently stands 4th among US women with 8 Olympic swimming medals. With 9 medals, Felix would move into a tie for 36th among all Olympians, including all sports.

If She Wins Four Medals in Rio, Allyson Felix Will …

  • Move into 1st among all women in track & field athletics, with 10 medals, surpassing Merlene Ottey (JAM), who has 9.
  • Move into a tie for 2nd among all track & field athletes, with 10 medals, trailing only Paavo Nurmi (FIN) with 12, and equalling Carl Lewis (USA) with 10. Counting the 1906 Olympics, Felix would also equal Ray Ewry (USA) with 10 (8, not including 1906).
  • Move into a tie for 7th among all female Olympians, with 10 medals. The record is 18 by Larysa Latynina (URS-GYM), while 4 women have won 12 medals, and Věra Čáslavská (TCH) won 11 medals in gymnastics. Through 2014, 6 women have won exactly 10 Olympic medals. With 10 medals, Felix would move into a tie for 22nd among all Olympians, including all sports.

If She Wins One Gold Medal in Rio, Allyson Felix Will …

  • Win her 5th Olympic gold medal in athletics, which would be the most ever by a woman. With 4 Olympic golds in athletics, Felix currently is tied with Evelyn Ashford (USA), Sanya Richards-Ross (USA), Fanny Blankers-Koen (NED), Betty Cuthbert (AUS), and Bärbel Eckert-Wöckel (GDR).
  • Move into a tie for 5th among all Olympic track & field athletes, with 5 gold medals. Felix would trail Paavo Nurmi (FIN) and Carl Lewis (USA), with 9; Ray Ewry (USA), with 8 (10, including 1906); and Usain Bolt (JAM), with 6, although he may extend that mark in Rio. Felix would tie Ville Ritola (FIN) and Martin Sheridan (USA), who won 5 gold medals, although Sheridan won only 3, not including 1906.
  • Move into a tie for 3rd among US female Olympians, in any sport, with 5 gold medals. The @TeamUSA record is held by Jenny Thompson (SWI), with 8, while Amy Van Dyken (SWI) has won 6, and Bonnie Blair (SSK) has won 5, with Blair winning hers at the Winter Olympics.

If She Wins a Medal in the 200 in Rio, Allyson Felix Will …

  • Become the 9th woman to win 4 or more consecutive medals in the same individual Summer Olympic event. Two women have won 5 consecutive medals in the same event – Valentina Vezzali (ITA) in women’s individual foil fencing, and Ryoko Tamura-Tani (JPN) in women’s lightweight judo; while 7 women have won 4 consecutive medals in the same event at the Summer Olympics. Merlene Ottey (JAM) also won 4 medals in the 200 metres, but they were not consecutive (1980-84, 1992-96). Claudia Pechstein (GER) won 5 consecutive medals in women’s 5,000 metres speedskating (1992-2006) at the Winter Olympics.

If She Wins a Gold Medal in the 4×400 in Rio, Allyson Felix Will …

  • Equal the mark of Evelyn Ashford (USA) and Sanya Richards-Ross (USA), as the only women to win three Olympic gold medals in the same event in track & field athletics, with Ashford doing so in the 4×100 relay and Richards-Ross in the 4×400.

If She Wins Two Gold Medals in Rio, Allyson Felix Will …

  • Move into a tie for 5th among all women, in any sport, with 6 gold medals. The Olympic best is held by Larysa Latynina (URS-GYM) with 9, followed by Birgit Fischer-Schmidt (GDR/GER-CAN) and Jenny Thompson (USA-SWI) with 8, and Věra Čáslavská (TCH) with 7.
  • Move into a tie for 5th among all Olympic track & field athletes, with 6 gold medals. Felix would trail Paavo Nurmi (FIN) and Carl Lewis (USA), with 9; Ray Ewry (USA), with 8 (10, including 1906); and equal Usain Bolt (JAM), with 6, although he may extend that mark in Rio.
  • Move into a tie for 2nd among US female Olympians, in any sport, with 6 gold medals. The @TeamUSA record is held by Jenny Thompson (SWI), with 8, while Felix would tie Amy Van Dyken (SWI), who has won 6.
  • Move into a tie for 5th among all female Olympians, in any sport, with 6 gold medals. Felix would still trail Larysa Latynina (URS-GYM) with 9, Birgit Fischer-Schmidt (GDR/GER-CAN) and Jenny Thompson (USA-SWI) with 8 each, and Věra Čáslavská (TCH-GYM) with 7. Six women have won 6 Olympic gold medals, three in the Winter Games and three in the Summer Games: Marit Bjørgen (NOR-CCS), Lyubov Yegorova (EUN/RUS-CCS), Lidiya Skoblikova (URS-SSK), Valentina Vezzali (ITA-FEN), Kristin Otto (GDR-SWI), and Amy Van Dyken (USA-SWI).

If She Wins Three Gold Medals in Rio, Allyson Felix Will …

  • Move into a tie for 4th among all women, in any sport, with 7 gold medals. The Olympic best is held by Larysa Latynina (URS-GYM) with 9, followed by Birgit Fischer-Schmidt (GDR/GER-CAN) and Jenny Thompson (USA-SWI) with 8, while Felix would tie Věra Čáslavská (TCH) who has 7.
  • Move into a tie for 4th among all Olympic track & field athletes, with 7 gold medals. Felix would trail Paavo Nurmi (FIN) and Carl Lewis (USA), with 9; and Ray Ewry (USA), with 8 (10, including 1906). Usain Bolt (JAM) has 6 gold medals entering Rio and may improve upon that mark.
  • Move into 2nd among US female Olympians, in any sport, with 7 gold medals. The @TeamUSA record is held by Jenny Thompson, who won 8 gold medals in swimming.
  • Move into a tie for 4th among all female Olympians, in any sport, with 7 gold medals. Felix would still trail Larysa Latynina (URS-GYM) with 9, Birgit Fischer-Schmidt (GDR/GER-CAN) and Jenny Thompson (USA-SWI) with 8 each, and equal Věra Čáslavská (TCH-GYM) with 7.
  • Move into a tie for 13th among all Olympians, all sports, with 7 gold medals.

 

200-400-800 Freestyle Triplers

Tomorrow night, Katie Ledecky will certainly qualify to swim the 800 freestyle at the Olympics, after having already qualified in the 200 and 400 freestyle at the USA Swimming Olympic Trials. She will compete in all three of the longer freestyle events available to women at the Olympics, and will be favored in all three, having won all of them at the 2015 World Championships. This has been done before. Ledecky is hoping to match the 1968 feat of Debbie Meyer (USA), who won all three gold medals.

  • 68 women have swum the 200/400/800 freestyles at one Olympic Games. Isabelle Arnoud (BEL) did it twice – 1988 and 1992, while Camille Potec (ROU) did it three times – 2004, 2008, 2012.
  • 4 American women have previously swum the 200/400/800 trifecta at one Olympics – Debbie Meyer (1968), Keena Rothhammer (1972), Shirley Babashoff (1976), and Katie Hoff (2008)
  • 5 women have won medals in all 3 events at one Olympics – Debbie Meyer (USA-1968), Shane Gould (AUS-1972), Shirley Babashoff (USA-1976), Ines Diers (GDR-1980), and Dagmar Hase (GER-1996). And only those 5 women have won medals in all three events, even counting multiple Olympics.
  • Debbie Meyer (USA) won gold medals in all 3 events in 1968. Only Shane Gould (AUS) won 2 gold medals in the three longer freestyles, winning the 200 and 400 free and taking silver in the 800 behind Keena Rothhammer (USA). Ines Diers won gold in the 400 in 1980 and silvers in the other two freestyles. Shirley Babashoff (USA) famously won silvers in all three events in 1976, trailing East German swimmers in each event, who were later proven to have been heavily doped as part of the East German program.

Katie Ledecky in Rio – the Possibilities

Katie Ledecky has won “only” one Olympic gold medal, that in the 2012 800 metre freestyle. However, her performances at the 2014 Pan Pacs (5 golds) and 2015 World Championships (5 golds), and her 11 world record swims over the past 3 years, portend well for what she may achieve in Rio. She will likely swim the 200, 400, and 800 freestyles, and possibly both freestyle relays. She will be heavily favored in the 400 and 800 freestyles, and probably a co-favorite in the 200 free. The USA will likely be favored in the 4×200 freestyle relay, but are longshots to win the 4×100 free relay, as Australia is the team to beat in that event. Here are some of the swimming records that Ledecky could chase in the pool at Rio de Janeiro.

If She Wins 1 Individual Gold Medal in Rio, Katie Ledecky Will …

  • Become the 6th American woman to win individual swimming gold medals at 2 Olympics, after Martha Norelius (1924/1928), Janet Evans (1988/1992), Brooke Bennett (1996/2000), Natalie Coughlin (2004/2008), and Rebecca Soni (2008/2012).

If She Wins 2 Individual Gold Medals in Rio, Katie Ledecky Will …

  • Move to =2nd among @TeamUSA female swimmers with 3 individual gold medals, trailing only Janet Evans, who won 4 in 1988-92. Ledecky would become tied with Debbie Meyer (1968) and Brooke Bennett (1996-2000).
  • Move to =6th among all Olympic female swimmers with 3 individual gold medals. The record is 5, held by Hungarian Krisztina Egerszegi, while 4 females have won 4 individual Olympic swimming golds – Janet Evans (USA), Kristin Otto (GDR), Inge de Bruijn (NED), and Yana Klochkova (UKR).

If She Wins 3 Gold Medals in Rio, Katie Ledecky Will …

  • Move to =3rd among USA female swimmers with 4 Olympic gold medals, trailing Jenny Thompson (8), Amy Van Dyken (6), and tieing Janet Evans, Dara Torres, Missy Franklin, and Dana Vollmer.
  • Move to =4th among @TeamUSA Olympians, any sport, with 4 Olympic gold medals, trailing Thompson and Van Dyken, as above, and Bonnie Blair (SSK with  5), and tied with 12 other USA women.
  • Move to =3rd among @TeamUSA Olympians, any sport, with 3 Olympic golds at one Olympics, trailing only swimmers Missy Franklin (2012) and Amy Van Dyken (1996), with 4 each, and tied with 22 other USA women, including 17 swimmers.

If She Wins 3 Individual Gold Medals (200-400-800) in Rio, Katie Ledecky Will …

  • Move to =7th among all female Olympians (any sport) with the most individual gold medals with 4. The record is 7 by Věra Čáslavská (TCH) in gymnastics, with Larysa Latynina (URS-GYM) and Lidiya Skoblikova (URS-SSK) having won 6 individual golds.
  • Tie Debbie Meyer (1968) and Janet Evans (1988) among US female swimmers with 3 individual gold medals at a single Olympic Games.
  • Tie Janet Evans (SWI) and Pat McCormick (DIV) among summer female US Olympians (any sport) with 4 individual gold medals. Among @TeamUSA Olympians, Ledecky would trail only Bonnie Blair, who won 5 individual gold medals in speed skating at the Winter Olympics.
  • Move to =2nd among all Olympic female swimmers with 4 individual gold medals, trailing only Hungarian Krisztina Egerszegi, who has won 5. Four females have won 4 individual Olympic swimming golds – Janet Evans (USA), Kristin Otto (GDR), Inge de Bruijn (NED), and Yana Klochkova (UKR).

If She Wins 4 Gold Medals in Rio, Katie Ledecky Will …

  • Move to =4th among female Olympic swimmers with 5 gold medals. The record is 8, held by Jenny Thompson (USA), with Kristin Otto (GDR) and Amy Van Dyken (USA) having won 6.
  • Move to =2nd among all female Olympians (any sport) with 4 gold medals at a single Games. The record is 6 by Kristin Otto in 1988, with 9 other women having won 4 golds at one Olympics, including two @TeamUSA swimmers, Amy Van Dyken (1996) and Missy Franklin (2012).

If She Wins 5 Gold Medals in Rio, Katie Ledecky Will …

  • Trail only Kristin Otto, the only woman to win 6 gold medals at one Olympic Games (swimming-1988). No other woman has won more than 4 at one Games. Ledecky would move to =5th all-time in any sport (=6th performance), also trailing the following men: Michael Phelps (8 in 2008, 6 in 2004), Mark Spitz (7 in 1972), and Vitaly Shcherbo (6 for EUN in gymnastics in 1992).
  • Move to =5th among all female Olympians (any sport) with 6 gold medals. The leaders in this category are Larysa Latynina (URS-GYM) with 9, followed by Birgit Fischer-Schmidt (GDR/GER-CAN) and Jenny Thompson (USA-SWI) with 8, and Věra Čáslavská (TCH-GYM) with 7. Ledecky, with 6, would tie Amy Van Dyken (SWI) for second place among @TeamUSA women.

USA Olympic Appearance Records

With Michael Phelps qualifying for his 5th Olympic appearance, here  is where he would stand among all @TeamUSA Olympians. Only one swimmer in there – Dara Torres. Phelps will be the first male swimmer to compete at 5 Olympics.

[table]

Appear,Name,Gdr,Ssn,Sport,Years

7,J. Michael Plumb,M,S,EQU,1960/64/68/72/76/84/92

6,Norman Cohn-Armitage,M,S,FEN,1928/32/36/48/52/56

6,Bill McMillan,M,S,SHO,1952/60/64/68/72/76

6,Jan York-Romary,F,S,FEN,1948/52/56/60/64/68

6,Frank Chapot,M,S,EQU,1956/60/64/68/72/76

6,Robert Dover,M,S,EQU,1984/88/92/96/00/04

6,Todd Lodwick,M,W,NCO,1994/98/02/06/10/14

5,Bruce Davidson,M,S,EQU,1972/76/84/88/96

5,Dara Torres,F,S,SWI,1984/88/92/00/08

5,Karen Lende O’Connor,F,S,EQU,1988/96/00/08/12

5,Bill Steinkraus,M,S,EQU,1952/56/60/68/72

5,Peter Westbrook,M,S,FEN,1976/84/88/92/96

5,Casey Puckett,M,W,ASK/FRS,1992/94/98/02/10

5,Albie Axelrod,M,S,FEN,1952/56/60/64/68

5,Willye White,F,S,ATH,1956/60/64/68/72

5,Willie Davenport,M,B,ATH/BOB,1964/68/72/76/80

5,Teresa Edwards,F,S,BAS,1984/88/92/96/00

5,John McNally,M,S,SHO,1984/88/92/96/00

5,Gail Devers,F,S,ATH,1988/92/96/00/04

5,George Hincapie,M,S,CYC,1992/96/00/04/08

5,Butch Johnson,M,S,ARC,1992/96/00/04/08

5,Mark Grimmette,M,W,LUG,1994/98/02/06/10

5,Amy Acuff,F,S,ATH,1996/00/04/08/12

5,Kim Rhode,F,S,SHO,1996/00/04/08/12

5,Danielle Scott-Arruda,F,S,VOL,1996/00/04/08/12

5,Bill Demong,M,W,NCO,1998/02/06/10/14

5,Bode Miller,M,W,ASK,1998/02/06/10/14

5,Brian Shimer,M,W,BOB,1988/92/94/98/02

5,Chris Witty,F,B,CYC/SSK,1994/98/00/02/06

[/table]

 

The Michael Phelps Rio File

By competing at Rio de Janeiro in 2016, Michael Phelps will set several Olympic records and bests, both USA and international. Further, should he win a medal, or a gold medal, he will also set several Olympic records and bests. He already holds the Olympic records of 22 medals and 18 gold medals, both marks he can extend in Rio. The following details his current standings on the various Olympic lists, and what else he can/will achieve with his performance in Rio.

By Competing in Rio, Michael Phelps Will …

  • Become the first American man to compete in swimming at five Olympic Games, and only the second American, equalling the mark of Dara Torres, who competed in 1984, 1988, 1992, 2000, and 2008. Phelps is tied among American men with Jason Lezak as the only two US Olympians to compete in swimming at 4 Olympic Games.

If He Wins an Individual Medal in Rio, Michael Phelps Will …

  • Become the Olympian with the most medals ever in individual events. Phelps surpassed Larysa Latynina (URS) as the most be-medalled Olympian with 22, bettering Latynina’s 18, but Latynina won 14 individual medals. Through 2012, Phelps has won “only” 13 individual Olympic medals, placing him second in that category.
  • Move up to 9th place on the oldest individual male medalist list among Olympic swimmers. However, Phelps’ @TeamUSA teammate, Ryan Lochte, is slightly older than Phelps so this could change if he wins an individual medal in Rio.

If He Wins a Gold Medal in Rio, Michael Phelps Will …

  • Equal the mark for the Olympian with the most gold medals ever in team events, assuming a gold in a relay, which is likely. Through 2012, Phelps has 7 gold medals in relays. The Olympic record for most team event gold medals, any sport, however, is held by another @TeamUSA Olympic swimmer, Jenny Thompson, who won 8 gold medals in relays.
  • Become the oldest individual gold medalist in Olympic swimming history, if he wins an individual gold, surpassing Inge de Bruijn (NED), who was 30-363 when she won the 50 metre freestyle in 2004. Phelps will be about 31-035 to 31-042 during the swimming competition in Rio. However, Phelps’ @TeamUSA teammate, Ryan Lochte, is slightly older than Phelps so this could change if he wins an individual medal in Rio.
  • Become the oldest men to win an Olympic individual gold medal, with an individual gold, that mark currently held by Duke Kahanamoku at Antwerpen in 1920, at age 30-009. However, as noted above, Ryan Lochte is slightly older than Phelps and this could change if he wins an individual gold medal in Rio.
  • Win his fourth consecutive gold medals in the 100 butterfly or 200 IM, assuming he wins either of those events. That will make him only the 4th Olympian to win four consecutive gold medals in the same individual event – after Paul Elvstrøm (DEN – sailing one-handed dinghy, 1948-60 [although there was a slight difference in the event in 1948]); Al Oerter (USA – athletics discus throw, 1956-68); and Carl Lewis (USA – athletics long jump, 1984-96) (and Ray Ewry [USA – athletics standing high jump and standing long jump, 1900-08], if you count 1906).
  • Equal Ray Ewry by winning four consecutive gold medals in two individual events, again assuming he wins both the 100 fly and the 200IM, although that would include 1906 for Ewry. Not including Ewry, Phelps can become the first Olympian to achieve this, although see the next note.

If He Wins an Individual Gold Medal in Rio, Michael Phelps Will …

  • Tie the “Olympic” record for the most titles in individual events. Although Phelps has won 11 individual gold medals, and would seem to hold that Olympic record, in fact the record is actually held by Leonidas of Rhodes, who won 12 titles at the Ancient Olympic Games. Leonidas won the stadion (about 195 yards), diaulos (about 380 yards), and hoplite race (race in armour) at four consecutive Olympic Games from 164-152 BC. Thus, if Phelps wins an individual gold medal, or gold medals, he will tie or break a record that has now stood for 2168 years. If so, Leonidas will not be present to congratulate Phelps.