Which Olympians have been heads of state – such as a President, Prime Minister, or King or Queen? We know of this happening 8 times, as follows:

[table]

Athlete,NOC,Sport,Era,Notes

Taro Aso,JPN,SHO,1976,Prime Minister of Japan 2008-09.

Juan Carlos Crown Prince de Borbón,ESP,SAI,1972,King of Spain 1975-present.

Albert Prince Grimaldi,MON,BOB,1988-2002,Prince of Monaco 2005-present.

Crown Prince Harald,NOR,SAI,1964-72,King of Norway 1991-present.

Crown Prince Konstantinos,GRE,SAI,1960,King of Greece 1964-73.

Crown Prince Olav,NOR,SAI,1928,King of Norway 1957-91.

Pál Schmitt,HUN,FEN,1968-76,President of Hungary 2010-12.

Marcus Stephen,NRU/SAM,WLT,1992-2000,President of Nauru 2007-11.

[/table]

See also http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/friv/lists.cgi

Recently I posted about the United States’ dominance of the all-time Olympic medal lists (hey, I’m a Merkan – give me a break). But there are some things that can be analyzed a bit more closely.

Firstly, the United States is the world’s 3^rd most populous country, after China and India. It would stand to reason that a country with more people would have a larger pool from which to draw great athletes. The US is also the world’s 3^rd (or possibly 4^th) largest country, after Russia and Canada, although not certain if that has any effect. (China and the United States are almost the exact same size and sometimes China is listed the 3^rd largest nation.)

Secondly, the United States is a wealthy country, with the world’s largest gross domestic product (GDP). Again, a country with great wealth has several advantages in terms of producing great athletes and Olympic medalists. Not only is there more money to support the athletes, theoretically, but people from wealthy nations typically have more leisure time allowing them to train more for sports.

So let’s look at the Olympic medal lists in a couple different ways. Remember that North America and Europe/International analyze medal lists differently – in North America the nations are ranked by 1) medals, 2) gold, 3) silver, and 4) bronze; while in Europe they are ranked by 1) gold, 2) silver, and 3) bronze. So we’ll compare lists both by total medals won and gold medals won (we can’t use silver and bronze well in the analysis that will follow).

Second, a caveat is in order. We are going to eliminate any nations that no longer exists – you’ll see why soon.

We will then look at medals won in terms of 1) medals won per capita, or divided by the nation’s population, to eliminate the advantage gained by larger nations; 2) medals won per GDP, to eliminate the advantage gained by wealthier nations; and 3) medals won per GDP per capita, which is probably a better way to measure a nation’s wealth.

Here is the basic top 25 medal list, uncorrected, with ranks on the left both in US system and the European system:

[table]

RankUS,RankEur,NOC,G,S,B,Meds

1,1,United States,1083,863,760,2706

2,2,Soviet Union,473,376,355,1204

3,3,Germany,292,326,312,930

4,4,Great Britain,254,288,287,829

5,6,France,250,265,314,829

6,5,Italy,243,206,231,680

7,8,Sweden,194,210,236,640

8,10,Russia,183,166,179,528

9,7,China,213,166,147,526

10,9,German Demo. Rep.,192,165,162,519

11,13,Australia,144,159,185,488

12,12,Hungary,169,151,170,490

13,11,Norway,174,162,142,478

14,14,Finland,145,147,175,467

15,15,Japan,140,143,160,443

16,16,Canada,122,156,167,445

17,17,The Netherlands,115,125,140,380

18,19,Switzerland,101,116,114,331

19,21,Austria,82,115,119,316

20,20,Romania,88,94,120,302

21,18,Korea (South),107,99,90,296

22,23,Poland,70,89,132,291

23,24,Fed. Rep. of Germany,67,82,94,243

24,26,Bulgaria,52,87,81,220

25,22,Cuba,71,65,66,202

[/table]

This is as we noted, with the USA on top, in both systems. We will eliminate the Soviet Union, Federal Republic of Germany (West), German Democratic Republic (East), and other non-extant nations, such as Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. The reason now becomes more obvious – we are using current figures for population (2014) and gross domestic product (2013), and those figures don’t exist any more for those nations, and there is no good way to extrapolate to them. Here are the population, GDP, and GDP per capita figures (Source: US CIA Factbook) for the top 25 nations on the “raw” medal list:

[table]

NOC,Population,GDP,GDP PC,Status

United States,318892103,$16720000,$52800,

Soviet Union,,,,NLE

Germany,80996685,$3593000,$39500,

Great Britain,63742977,$2490000,$37300,

France,66259012,$2739000,$35700,

Italy,61680122,$2068000,$29600,

Sweden,9723809,$552000,$40900,

Russia,142470272,$2113000,$18100,

China,1355692576,$9330000,$9800,

German Democratic Republic,,,,NLE

Australia,22507617,$1488000,$43000,

Hungary,9919128,$130600,$19800,

Norway,5147792,$515800,$55400,

Finland,5268799,$259600,$35900,

Japan,127103388,$5007000,$37100,

Canada,34834841,$1825000,$43100,

The Netherlands,16877351,$800500,$41400,

Switzerland,8061516,$646200,$46000,

Austria,8223062,$417900,$42600,

Romania,21729871,$188900,$13200,

Korea (South),49039986,$1198000,$33200,

Poland,38346279,$513900,$21100,

Federal Republic of Germany,,,,NLE

Bulgaria,6924716,$53700,$14400,

Cuba,11047251,$72300,$10200,

[/table]

NLE=No Longer Exists

Here is what happens if we look at medals and gold medals per million population:

[table]

Rank,NOC,Meds,Meds/Pop

1,Liechtenstein,9,241.203

2,Norway,478,92.855

3,Finland,467,88.635

4,Sweden,640,65.818

5,Hungary,490,49.400

6,Switzerland,331,41.059

7,Austria,316,38.429

8,The Bahamas,12,37.286

9,Denmark,185,33.219

10,Estonia,40,31.798

11,Bulgaria,220,31.770

12,New Zealand,101,22.945

13,Jamaica,67,22.867

14,The Netherlands,380,22.515

15,Australia,488,21.682

16,Cuba,202,18.285

17,Slovenia,34,17.100

18,Belgium,155,14.833

19,Trinidad & Tobago,18,14.707

20,Bermuda,1,14.319

21,Romania,302,13.898

22,Greece,144,13.364

23,Great Britain,829,13.005

24,Canada,445,12.775

25,Iceland,4,12.604

[/table]

[table]

Rank,NOC,Gold,Gold/Pop

1,Liechtenstein,2,53.601

2,Norway,174,33.801

3,Finland,145,27.521

4,Sweden,194,19.951

5,Hungary,169,17.038

6,The Bahamas,5,15.536

7,Switzerland,101,12.529

8,Estonia,13,10.335

9,Austria,82,9.972

10,New Zealand,42,9.541

11,Grenada,1,9.078

12,Denmark,46,8.260

13,Bulgaria,52,7.509

14,The Netherlands,115,6.814

15,Cuba,71,6.427

16,Australia,144,6.398

17,Jamaica,17,5.802

18,Romania,88,4.050

19,Great Britain,254,3.985

20,Italy,243,3.940

21,Belgium,41,3.924

22,Luxembourg,2,3.841

23,France,250,3.773

24,Germany,292,3.605

25,Greece,38,3.526

[/table]

One thing of note above – the top nations are predominately winter sports nations. Liechtenstein, in particular, owes all of its medals to two winter sports families – the Wenzels and the Frommelts. Also, if you look at the two lists above, they are quite similar when using both ranking systems.

Now let’s look at how the nations do if we compare medals won per GDP, in million $:

[table]

Rank,NOC,Meds,Meds/GDP

1,Jamaica,67,4656.011

2,Bulgaria,220,4096.834

3,Hungary,490,3751.914

4,Cuba,202,2793.914

5,Mongolia,24,2154.399

6,Tonga,1,2096.436

7,Kenya,86,1898.036

8,Finland,467,1798.921

9,Liechtenstein,9,1760.219

10,Korea DPR (North),49,1750.000

11,Estonia,40,1647.446

12,Romania,302,1598.729

13,Georgia,25,1567.398

14,The Bahamas,12,1433.178

15,Belarus,91,1314.269

16,Grenada,1,1233.046

17,Sweden,640,1159.420

18,Armenia,12,1153.846

19,Ethiopia,45,950.570

20,Norway,478,926.716

21,Moldova,7,882.501

22,Latvia,26,855.826

23,Zimbabwe,8,763.359

24,Austria,316,756.162

25,Slovenia,34,726.185

[/table]

[table]

Rank,NOC,Gold,Gold/GDP

1,Hungary,169,1294.028

2,Grenada,1,1233.046

3,Jamaica,17,1181.376

4,Cuba,71,982.019

5,Bulgaria,52,968.343

6,The Bahamas,5,597.158

7,Finland,145,558.552

8,Kenya,25,551.755

9,Estonia,13,535.420

10,Korea DPR (North),14,500.000

11,Romania,88,465.855

12,Ethiopia,21,443.599

13,Liechtenstein,2,391.160

14,Georgia,6,376.176

15,Burundi,1,373.692

16,Sweden,194,351.449

17,Norway,174,337.340

18,Zimbabwe,3,286.260

19,Belarus,18,259.965

20,New Zealand,42,231.916

21,Surinam,1,199.641

22,The Ukraine,35,199.430

23,Austria,82,196.219

24,Mongolia,2,179.533

25,Croatia,10,169.090

[/table]

Again, the lists are similar, although Jamaica leads in terms of medals won per capita while Hungary leads in terms of gold medals won per capita. But Jamaica, Bulgaria, Cuba, and Hungary are in the top 5 on both systems.

Finally, looking at the medal lists in terms of GDP per $1,000 per capita:

[table]

Rank,NOC,Meds,Meds/GDPPC

1,China,526,53.673

2,United States,2706,51.250

3,Kenya,86,47.778

4,Ethiopia,45,37.500

5,Russia,528,29.171

6,Korea DPR (North),49,27.222

7,Hungary,490,24.747

8,Germany,930,23.544

9,France,829,23.221

10,Italy,680,22.973

11,Romania,302,22.879

12,Great Britain,829,22.225

13,Cuba,202,19.804

14,The Ukraine,122,16.486

15,Sweden,640,15.648

16,Bulgaria,220,15.278

17,Poland,291,13.791

18,Zimbabwe,8,13.333

19,Finland,467,13.008

20,Japan,443,11.941

21,Australia,488,11.349

22,Canada,445,10.325

23,The Netherlands,380,9.179

24,Brazil,108,8.926

25,Korea (South),296,8.916

[/table]

[table]

Rank,NOC,Gold,Gold/GDPPC

1,China,213,21.735

2,United States,1083,20.511

3,Ethiopia,21,17.500

4,Kenya,25,13.889

5,Russia,183,10.110

6,Hungary,169,8.535

7,Italy,243,8.209

8,Korea DPR (North),14,7.778

9,Germany,292,7.392

10,France,250,7.003

11,Cuba,71,6.961

12,Great Britain,254,6.810

13,Romania,88,6.667

14,Zimbabwe,3,5.000

15,Sweden,194,4.743

16,The Ukraine,35,4.730

17,Finland,145,4.039

18,Japan,140,3.774

19,Bulgaria,52,3.611

20,Australia,144,3.349

21,Poland,70,3.318

22,Korea (South),107,3.223

23,Norway,174,3.141

24,Canada,122,2.831

25,The Netherlands,115,2.778

[/table]

Again, many of the “standard” powerful Olympic nations come out on top by this analysis – with China 1^st and the United States 2^nd. The main reason for this is that while population and GDP differ by several magnitudes among nations, there is not the same magnitude of difference in terms of GDP per capita, which varies from $102,100 per person for Qatar, down to about $1,000 for the very poor nations. But many of those nations have never won an Olympic medal.

(Note: The below is from Paul Tchir, aka Canadian Paul, one of our group of OlyMADMen. Paul’s specialty is looking at the oldest Olympians, by sport, by medals, by nation, and almost every permutation thereof, and he is absolutely the world’s expert on this topic. You can find his specific page related to this at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Canadian_Paul/Olympics.)

The recent death of American sport shooter Walter Walsh, the longest-lived Olympian, meant that the mantle of “oldest living Olympian” passed to a new title-holder. This distinction went, almost certainly, to Swiss artist Hans Erni, who competed in the art competitions at the 1948 Summer Olympics. Born on 21 February 1909 in Lucrene, Erni achieved international fame as a painter, sculptor, graphic artist, and ceramist and is, as of 9 July 2014, the third longest-lived Olympian of all time, behind Walsh (who was less than a week shy of his 107^th birthday at his death) and American gymnast Rudolf Schrader, the latter of whom competed at the 1904 Summer Olympics and died in January 1981 at the age of 105 years, 307 days. Although there are a handful of Olympians older than Erni whose death has not been confirmed, it seems unlikely that someone would have reached 105 years of age in the era of the internet and escaped any notice whatsoever.

As art competitions were removed from the program after 1948, however, this answer may not satisfy everyone. The oldest Olympian from an athletic competition known to be living is Guo Jie of China, who took part in the men’s discus throw at the 1936 Summer Olympics. Guo, born 16 January 1912 in Dalian, is his nation’s longest-lived competitor, the last member of its delegation to the 1936 Games, and was still physically active at his 102^nd birthday. He is one of seven Olympic centenarians known to be living, a list that includes:

• Swedish diver Ingeborg Sjöqvist, born 19 April 1912, who took part in the 1932 and 1936 Summer Olympics and was runner-up in platform diving at the 1931 and 1934 European Championships.
• American athlete Simone Schaller, born 22 August 1912, who participated in the 80 m hurdles tournament in 1932 and 1936 and is the longest-lived American female Olympian.
• Baron Eduard von Falz-Fein, born 14 September 1912, who represented Liechtenstein in bobsled at the 1936 Winter Olympics and is second behind Norway’s Hans Kleppen, who died in April 2009 at the age of 102 years, 27 days, among the longest-lived Winter Olympians.
• Sándor Tarics, born 23 September 1913, who was a member of Hungary’s gold medal-winning water polo team in 1936 and is confirmed as the oldest living Olympic champion (the longest-lived Olympic champion is James Stillman Rockefeller, who died in August 2004 at the age of 102 years, 63 days).
• Evelyn Furtsch, born 17 April 1914, who earned a gold medal with the United States’ 4x100m relay team in 1932 and, earlier this year, surpassed Britain’s Godfrey Rampling as the longest-lived Olympic track and field gold medalist.

Three more Olympians will hopefully join them by the end of 2014: Olga Tőrös (born 4 August 1914), who won a bronze medal for Hungary in women’s team gymnastics in 1936, American John Lysak (born 16 August 1914), who competed in canoeing that same year, and Helen Johns (born 25 September 1914), who won a gold medal with the American team in the 4×100 m freestyle swimming event in 1932. Also worthy of mention is athlete Mien Klaver, born 26 February 1911, who was an alternate for the Dutch team in Furtsch’s event.

Outside of centenarians, Carla Marangoni (born 13 November 1915) is notable as the last known survivor of the 1928 Summer Olympics: she won a silver medal for Italy in the team gymnastics competition that year. Moreover, due to the increased attention that they receive, it is also possible to produce a definitive list of the seven oldest Olympic champions:

[table]

Athlete,DOB,Gdr,NOC,Spt,Yr

Sándor Tarics,23 September 1913, M, HUN, WAP, 1936

Evelyn Furtsch,17 April 1914, F, USA, ATH, 1932

Helen Johns,25  September 1914, F, USA, SWI, 1932

Durward Knowles,2 November 1917, M, BAH, SAI, 1964

Martin Lundström,30  May 1918, M, SWE, CCS, 1948

Adolph Kiefer,27 June 1918, M, USA, SWI, 1936

Jack Günthard,8 January 1920, M, SUI, GYM, 1952

[/table]

Notes:

• Durward Knowles also won bronze in 1956 and competed in 1948, 1952, 1960, 1968, 1972, and 1988. He originally competed for GBR in 1948.
• Martin Lundström won two golds in 1948 and also bronze in 1952.
• Jack Günthard also won a silver in 1952.

(Note: This is a difficult topic because it is always hard to know if somebody is definitely alive. If any astute readers have information on Olympians over 90 years old, or older Olympians who have recently died, please contact us via this blog.)

Olympic cycling is popular but the greatest race in cycling is considered to be the Tour de France, held every July over 3 weeks, and being held at the moment. A number of top cyclists competed in both the Olympics and Tour de France in the amateur era (1896-1992), and now that professional cyclists are allowed in the Olympics, many of them also compete in the Tour.

Until 1996, among the top professional cyclists who have starred in the Tour de France, only a few had Olympic experience.  Three-time winner Philippe Thys (BEL-1913/14/20) never competed in the Olympics, nor did Fausto Coppi (ITA-1949/52), Louison Bobet (FRA-1953/54/55), nor Bernard Hinault (FRA-1978/79/81/82/85).

The first Olympic medalist to win the Tour was Octave Lapize, who won a bronze medal in the 1908 Olympics 100 km race, and then won the 1910 Tour. Lapize is best known from comments he made in the 1910 Tour. While ascending the Col du Tourmalet, one of the first epic climbs included in the race, he shouted at race organizers, “Vous êtes des assassins! Oui, des assassins!” That stage was over 300 km with 7 difficult climbs, all raced in a single fixed-gear. Lapize was later killed in World War I.

Eddy Merckx (BEL-1969/70/71/72/74), usually considered the greatest cyclist ever, did compete in the 1964 Olympics in the individual road race, finishing 12^th, which was won by Italian Mario Zanin. His son, Axel, later competed in the 2000 and 2004 road race, winning an Olympic bronze medal in 2004, but he never featured at the Tour.

Jacques Anquetil (FRA-1957/61/62/63/64), whose record of five wins was later equalled by Merckx, Hinault, and Miguel Induráin (and initially bettered by Lance Armstrong), competed in the 1952 Olympic individual road race, oddly also finishing 12th.  But Anquetil did win an Olympic medal, having been a member of the French team in the road race, which finished third in the overall team event.

The first Olympic gold medalist to have also won the Tour de France is Joop Zoetemelk (NED).  Zoetemelk won his gold medal in the 1968 104 kilometre team time trial as a member of the Dutch team.  At 34 years of age, he won his Tour de France in 1980 and, amazingly, in 1985, aged 39 years, he won the world professional road race championship, the oldest ever to achieve that feat.

The feat of winning the Olympic individual road race and the world professional road race was first achieved by Hennie Kuiper (NED), who won his Olympic gold in 1972 and took the world professional title in 1975.  Kuiper also finished second in the Tour de France twice. This was later done by Italian Paolo Bettini, who won gold in the 2004 Olympic road race and won the World Road Race Championship in 2006-07.

Greg LeMond (USA-1986/89/90), the first American to win the Tour de France and the world professional road race championship (1983/89), qualified for the United States Olympic team in 1980, but as a member of that ill-fated 1980 team, did not compete in the Olympics. Based on his performance at the 1979 World Amateur Championships, winning 3 medals, including the U23 road race gold medal, he was expected to be co-favorite in the road race with Soviet rider Sergey Sukhoruchenkov, but in LeMond’s absence, Sukhoruchenkov won the gold medal.

The following Olympic cycling medalists also won the Tour de France:

[table]

Athlete,NOC,Olympic Medals,TdF Title(s)

Jacques Anquetil,FRA,1952 Team RR (B),1957/1961-64.

Lance Armstrong,USA,2000 ITT (B) (removed),1999-05 (removed)

Chris Froome,GBR,2012 ITT (B),2013

Miguel Induráin,ESP,1996 ITT (G),1991-95

Octave Lapize,FRA,1908 100 km (B),1910

Jan Ullrich,GER,2000 ITT (G)/IndRR (S),1997

Bradley Wiggins,GBR,2000-12 – 7 medals (4/1/2),2012

Joop Zoetemelk,NED,1968 TTT (G),1980

[/table]

The United States’ first government came into being 240 years ago – in September 1774, with the formation of the 1^st Continental Congress. But Americans celebrate the nations’ birthday on July 4^th, the day chosen to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain, although it is well known that the signing actually occurred on July 2, 1776. Nonetheless this is what we consider the United States’ birthday – so Happy Birthday, USA. (Yes, I am a USA-ian, and I approved this post)

The United States has also competed at every Olympic Games except for, sadly, the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. During that time, the USA has dominated the medal lists and the medal standings more than any other nation, mainly at the Summer Olympics. There have been pretenders to attempt to usurp that dominance – the USSR from 1952-88, the GDR from 1972-88, and now China threatens to lead the medal standings. But overall, from 1896-2014, Summer alone, Summer and Winter, men, women, it matters not. The USA has been the dominant nation at the Olympic Games in terms of medals won.

Here are the top 5 nations in terms of all medals won, actually listing 6 nations, because North American and Europe tend to count the medal lists differently, and there is a discrepancy, even at the top of the lists (USA uses totals, gold, silver, bronze for the rankings; Europe / International uses gold, silver, bronze for the rankings) (Note: these numbers are all per the IOC standards, meaning they do not include the 1906 Olympics):

[table]

RkUS,RkEU,NOC,Gold,Silver,Bronze,Total

1,1,United States,1071,857,754,2682

2,2,Soviet Union,473,376,355,1204

3,3,Germany,288,320,307,915

4,4,Great Britain,246,277,282,805

5,6,France,235,256,298,789

6,5,Italy,236,200,228,664

[/table]

So skipping the Soviet Union, which no longer exists, the USA has won more gold medals than the next 4 best nations that are still extant, and more medals than the next 3 best nations, however you rank them.

Just looking at the Summer Olympics, that dominance becomes even more impressive.

[table]

RkUS,RkEU,NOC,Gold,Silver,Bronze,Totals

1,1,United States,975,754,669,2398

2,2,Soviet Union,395,319,296,1010

3,3,Great Britain,235,271,266,772

4,5,Germany,201,235,249,685

5,4,France,204,225,251,680

6,7,Italy,199,166,185,550

[/table]

Again, skipping the USSR, the United States has won more gold medals than the next best 4 nations, and more medals than the next best 3 nations. Including the Soviet Union, the USA has won more gold medals and medals than the next best 3 nations at the Summer Olympics.

If we try to split this up by gender, the dominance remains. Here are the lists for men, women, and mixed medals:

Men

[table]

RkUS,RkEU,NOC,Gold,Silver,Bronze,Total

1,1,United States,761,591,520,1872

2,2,Soviet Union,323,259,228,810

3,5,France,171,195,217,583

4,4,Great Britain,172,193,194,559

5,6,Germany,171,190,190,551

6,3,Italy,188,157,168,513

[/table]

Women

[table]

RkUS,RkEU,NOC,Gold,Silver,Bronze,Total

1,1,United States,277,222,202,701

2,2,Soviet Union,122,96,113,331

3,3,China,120,100,83,303

4,5,Germany,88,115,97,300

5,4,German DR,94,84,63,241

6,6,Russia,72,83,63,218

[/table]

Mixed

[table]

RkUS,RkEU,NOC,Gold,Silver,Bronze,Total

1,1,United States,33,44,32,109

2,2,Great Britain,31,27,24,82

3,5,France,27,20,27,74

4,3,Germany,29,15,20,64

5,4,Soviet Union,28,21,14,63

[/table]

The male dominance for the USA is as complete, with more gold medals than the next 4 remaining nations, and more medals than the 3 next nations still extant. The female dominance is less so, as the Soviet Union and German Democratic Republic (GDR – East Germany) emphasized women’s medals during their existence. And it is even less dramatic for mixed events, where it is approached by several other nations, but the USA still leads the mixed medal lists, both in terms of medals won and gold medals won.

Now at the Winter Olympics, the USA is not #1, that honor still going to Norway, with the United States 2^nd, Germany 3^rd, and Austria 4^th. But if we look only at the Summer Olympics, here is how the medal standings have ended up at each Games:

[table]

Year,NOC,G,S,B,Tot,RkUS,RkEU

1896,Greece,10,16,19,45,1,2

1896,United States,11,7,2,20,2,1

1900,France,28,41,38,107,1,1

1904,United States,78,79,82,239,1,1

1906,France,15,9,16,40,1,1

1908,Great Britain,55,49,34,138,1,1

1912,Sweden,23,24,17,64,1,2

1912,United States,25,18,20,63,2,1

1920,United States,41,26,26,93,1,1

1924,United States,45,27,27,99,1,1

1928,United States,22,18,16,56,1,1

1932,United States,40,33,30,103,1,1

1936,Germany,33,26,30,89,1,1

1948,United States,38,27,19,84,1,1

1952,United States,40,19,17,76,1,1

1956,Soviet Union,37,29,32,98,1,1

1960,Soviet Union,43,29,31,103,1,1

1964,Soviet Union,30,31,35,96,1,2

1964,United States,36,26,28,90,2,1

1968,United States,45,28,34,107,1,1

1972,Soviet Union,50,27,22,99,1,1

1976,Soviet Union,49,41,35,125,1,1

1980,Soviet Union,80,69,46,195,1,1

1984,United States,83,61,30,174,1,1

1988,Soviet Union,55,31,46,132,1,1

1992,Unified Team,45,38,29,112,1,1

1996,United States,44,32,25,101,1,1

2000,United States,37,24,32,93,1,1

2004,United States,36,41,26,101,1,1

2008,United States,36,38,36,110,1,2

2008,China,51,21,28,100,2,1

2012,United States,46,29,29,104,1,1

[/table]

So of the above 32 leaders (by either system), the USA has been the leading nation at the Summer Olympics 17 times, or more than all other nations combined. However, if one looks at 1956-88, you can see that the Soviet Union was quite dominant in that era. What if they had competed before 1952 or since 1988?

One can argue that Russia, China, and Germany have not existed for as long as the United States, in Olympic terms. So let’s compare numbers against Pan-Soviet (USSR 1952-88 and all former Soviet republics prior to 1952 and since 1992) and Pan-Germania (Germany, East and West Germany) (Note: The Saar also competed in 1952 but did not win any medals.). We really can’t do the same for China. And this tabulation will give an advantage to Pan-Soviet counts, because since 1992 they can have far more than 3 competitors, or 1 team, in an event. The same was true for East and West Germany from 1968-88.

Here are the numbers for all Olympic medals:

[table]

NOC,Gold,Silver,Bronze,Total

United States,1071,857,754,2682

,,,,

Soviet Union,473,376,355,1204

Russia,183,166,179,528

Unified Team,54,44,37,135

Ukraine,35,28,59,122

Belarus,18,28,45,91

Kazakhstan,17,20,22,59

Estonia,13,11,16,40

Azerbaijan,6,5,15,26

Latvia,3,15,8,26

Georgia,6,5,14,25

Uzbekistan,6,5,11,22

Lithuania,6,5,10,21

Armenia,1,2,9,12

Moldova,0,2,5,7

Kyrgyzstan,0,1,2,3

Tajikistan,0,1,2,3

Pan-Soviet,821,714,789,2324

,,,,

Germany,288,320,307,915

German Demo. Rep.,192,165,162,519

Fed. Rep. Germany,67,82,94,243

Pan-Germania,547,567,563,1677

[/table]

So even with the advantage Pan-Soviet and Pan-Germania get from extra competitors and teams, the USA still leads the medal lists comfortably. Of course, Pan-Soviet had only a few competitors from 1912-36 – Russia in 1912 and the Baltics from 1924-36 – but given how much fewer events there were in that era, the USA would still lead the lists.

Happy Birthday, America. We have a national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, which I’ve considered like our alma mater, but I much prefer what could be considered similar to our college fight song – The Stars and Stripes Forever (officially the USA National March since 1987). Here’s one of my favorite versions of it:

Olympic distance runner, War hero, Prison camp survivor, Legend

[table]

Category,Data

Full Name,Louis Silvie “Lou” Zamperini

Used Name,Lou Zamperini

Born,26 January 1917; Olean New York (USA)

Died,2 July 2014

Measurements,180 cm / 60 kg

[/table]

Games	Sport	Event	Status	Team	Pos		Details
1936 (summer)	Athletics	5,000 metres	Olympic		8

Fencer, Soldier, Resistance fighter, Martyr, Sachsenhausen

[table]

Category,Data

Full Name,Richard Leonard Arnold Schoemaker

Used Name,Richard Schoemaker

Born,5 October 1886; Roermond (NED)

Died,3 May 1942; Sachsenhausen; Oranienburg; Brandenburg (GER)

[/table]

[table]

Year-Season,Sport,Event,Finish

1908 Summer,Fencing,Individual Sabre, =3 Pool 1 Round 2/4

[/table]

Richard Schoemaker studied at the Royal Netherlands Military Academy, beginning there as a cadet in 1905. In the year he graduated he competed at the Olympic Games in London. Schoemaker then left for the Dutch East Indies as a second lieutenant, being promoted to captain 1915. He left the Army just after World War I, and became a professor of constructional engineering at the Technical Academy in Bandoeng, before returning to the Netherlands where he served as a professor of architecture on the faculty of bouwkunde (architecture/structural engineering) at the Technical University in Delft. He continued as a reserve major in the Army and over the next 20 years helped design and construct several Army barracks. Schoemaker’s brother, Wolff, was a noted Dutch architect often called the Frank Lloyd Wright of Indonesia.

At the start of World War II Schoemaker was called to serve with the Technical Corps of Engineering but was not involved in combat. After the Dutch Army surrendered to the Germans he joined the Dutch Underground, later becoming part of the Ordedienst (OD), a fusion of several underground groups. On 2 May 1941 Schoemaker was arrested after being found to be a member of the OD. He and several other OD members were kept in the state prison in Scheveningen, later called the Oranjehotel. In March-April 1942 Schoemaker and many of his compatriots were tried in Amersfoort, and all were found guilty, with the sentence being death.

On 1 May 1942 the convicted OD members, among whom was included Pierre Versteegh, a Dutch equestrian Olympian, were taken by train to Oranienburg, near Berlin, and then transported by truck to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. On 3 May 1942 all of the convicts were executed by firing squad, in groups of 12 each. Richard Schoemaker was among them. On 3 May 1946 a monument was erected in the Netherlands in the group’s honor. Schoemaker posthumously was given the Resistance Cross for his efforts.

On 28 June 1914, 100 years ago today, the inciting incident which led to World War I, occurred. This was the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo, Bosnia. World War I is considered to have officially started one month later, 28 July, when Austro-Hungary officially declared war on Serbia.

Although there had been only 5 celebrations of the Olympic Games to that date (6 if you count 1906), many of the Olympic athletes served in the military during the war and some of them did not return.

Canadian doctor-soldier John McCrae penned the poem “In Flanders Fields” in memory of the brave men who lost their lives in what has been called The Great War, as if any war could be great. McCrae wrote:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

In their memory, here are the 131 Olympians that we have been able to identify as being killed, died, or missing in action as a result of World War I. RIP.

[table]

Olympian,NOC,Sport,Era,Fate

Andrey Akimov,RUS,FTB,1912,†1916. Killed during World War I.

Gordon Alexander,GBR,FEN,1912,†24 April 1917. Killed in action during World War I.

Laurie Anderson,GBR,ATH,1912,†9 November 1914. Killed in action while serving with the Cheshire Regiment.

William Anderson,GBR,ATH,1906,†April 1915. Killed in action in France.

Henry Ashington,GBR,ATH,1912,†31 January 1917. Killed in action in France.

Louis Bach,FRA,FTB,1900,†16 September 1914. Killed in action.

Fritz Bartholomae,GER,ROW,1912,†12 September 1915. Killed in action during World War I.

Georg Baumann,RUS,WRE,1912,Missing-in-action during World War I but date and place not known.

Béla Békessy,HUN,FEN,1912,†6 July 1916. Killed in action during World War I.

Isaac Bentham,GBR,WAP,1912,†15 May 1917. Killed in action during Battle of Arras.

Renon Boissière,FRA,ATH,1912,†25 September 1915. Killed in action in World War I.

Henri Bonnefoy,FRA,SHO,1908,†19 August 1914. Killed in action during World War I.

Hermann von Bönninghausen,GER,ATH,1908-12,†26 January 1919. Died from wounds from being shot in the face in World War I.

Hermann Bosch,GER,FTB,1912,†16 July 1916. Killed in action in World War I.

Jean Bouin,FRA,ATH,1908-12,†29 September 1914. Killed in action by friendly fire.

Hanns Braun,GER,ATH,1908-12,†9 October 1918. Died as a fighter pilot near Saint-Quentin; Aisne; France in World War I.

Karl Braunsteiner,AUT,FTB,1912,†19 April 1916. Died as a prisoner of war.

Kurt Bretting,GER,SWI,1912,†30 May 1918. Killed in action during World War I.

Heinrich Burkowitz,GER,ATH,1912,†November 1918. Missing in action in November 1918 somewhere in Belgium.

Edmund Bury,GBR,RAQ,1908,†5 December 1915. With the 11th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps he was killed in action in France during World War I and is buried in Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery in Fleurbaix.

George Butterfield,GBR,ATH,1908,†24 September 1917. Killed in action in France.

Oswald Carver,GBR,ROW,1908,†7 June 1915. With the 1st/2nd East Lancashire Royal Engineers he was killed in action in Turkey in World War I and is buried in the Lancashire Landing Cemetery.

Joseph Caullé,FRA,ATH,1912,†1 October 1915. Killed in action during World War I.

Ralph Chalmers,GBR,FEN,1908,†8 May 1915. Killed in action during World War I.

Noel Chavasse,GBR,ATH,1908,†4 August 1917. He is one of only three men to have been awarded a bar to the Victoria Cross. Serving as a captain in the RAMC he was first awarded the VC in 1916 and a bar posthumously in 1917.

Geoffrey Coles,GBR,SHO,1908,†27 January 1916. Killed in action during World War I.

André Corvington,HAI,FEN,1900,†13 December 1918. Killed in action in World War I near Reims.

Percy Courtman,GBR,SWI,1908-12,†2 June 1917. Part of 6th Battalion Manchester Regiment he was killed in action in World War I. Buried at Neuville-Bourjonval British Cemetery.

Harry Crank,GBR,DIV,1908,†22 October 1917. Killed in action near Ypres Belgium.

Robert Davies,GBR,SHO,1912,†9 September 1916. A member of the 1st/9th Batallion; London Regiment (Queen Victoria’s Rifles) he was killed in action in the Somme in France in World War I.

Louis de Champsavin,FRA,EQU,1900,†20 December 1916. Killed in action during World War I.

Felix Debax,FRA,FEN,1900,†25 August 1914. Killed in action in World War I.

Alex Decouteau,CAN,ATH,1912,†17 October 1917. Killed in action in the Battle of Passchendale.

Oszkár Demján,HUN,SWI,1912,†4 September 1914. Killed in action during World War I.

Charles Devendeville,FRA,SWI/WAP,1900,†19 September 1914. Killed in action.

Karl Baron von Diepurg,GER,IOC,1909-14,†25 October 1914. Killed in action during World War I.

Joseph Dines,GBR,FTB,1912,†27 September 1918. He was killed in Pas de Calais as a second lieutenant on the Western front during World War I.

Jimmy Duffy,CAN,ATH,1912,†23 April 1915. In September 1913 he joined the Canadian Army and was assigned to the 91st Argyle Regiment. On 23 April 1915 he was fatally wounded near Ypres Belgium.

Hugh Durant,GBR,MOP/SHO,1912,†21 January 1916. With the 9th Queen’s Royal Lancers he was killed in action in France in World War I and is buried in the Vermelles British Cemetery.

George Fairbairn,GBR,ROW,1908,†20 June 1915. Killed in action in the Somme in France during World War I.

René Fenouillière,FRA,FTB,1908,†4 November 1916. Killed in action during World War I.

Léon Flameng,FRA,CYC,1896,†2 January 1917. Killed in action during World War I.

Alfred Flaxman,GBR,ATH,1908,†1 July 1916. Killed in an attack on the enemy positions at Gommecourt.

Bert Gayler,GBR,CYC,1912,†23 June 1917. Killed by rifle fire during an ambush in a valley near Kotkai Bozi Khel.

Bernhard von Gaza,GER,ROW,1908,†25 September 1917. Killed in action during World War I in Belgium.

Thomas Gillespie,GBR,ROW,1912,†18 October 1914. A lieutenant with the King’s Own Scottish Borderers he was killed in action in France in World War I and is buried in Le Touret Memorial.

Henry Goldsmith,GBR,ROW,1908,†9 May 1915. Killed in action at Fromelles.

Lajos Gönczy,HUN,ATH,1900-06,†4 December 1915. Killed in action in area of Galicia and Lodomeria.

Carl Heinrich Goßler,GER,ROW,1900,†9 September 1914. Killed in action during World War I.

Wyndham Halswelle,GBR,ATH,1906-08,†31 March 1915. Killed by a sniper’s bullet in France.

George Hawkins,GBR,ATH,1908,†22 September 1917. During World War I he served as a Gunner with the Royal Artillery and was killed in action when a shell exploded in the doorway of a dugout while he was on outpost duty.

Harold Hawkins,GBR,SHO,1908,†16 June 1917. Reported missing between Bullecourt and Croisilles. When last seen he was wounded; lying in a very forward position; which unfortunately had to be abandoned.

Cecil Healy,ANZ/AUS,SWI,1906-12,†29 August 1918. Killed in action in World War I.

Max Herrmann,GER,ATH,1912,†29 January 1915. Killed in action in World War I.

George Hutson,GBR,ATH,1912,†14 September 1914. Killed in action only five weeks after the outbreak of World War I.

Albert Jenicot,FRA,FTB,1908,†22 February 1916. An under-lieutenant with the 165th Regiment D Infantry he was killed in action in World War I.

Walther Jesinghaus,GER,GYM,1912,†1918. Killed in action during World War I.

Ernest Keeley,RSA,SHO,1912,†23 July 1918. A 2nd lieutenant with the 4th Regiment (South African Infantry Unit) he was killed in action in World War I and is buried in the Ploegsteert Memorial.

Frederick Kelly,GBR,ROW,1908,†13 November 1916. Killed in action during World War I.

Paul Kenna,GBR,EQU,1912,†30 August 1915. Killed in action at the Battle of Gallipoli.

Alister Kirby,GBR,ROW,1912,†29 March 1917. Served as a captain in the Rifle Brigade and died from illness in 1917.

Frederick Kitching,GBR,ATH,1908,†1914. Killed in action in World War I.

Adolf Kofler,AUT,CYC,1912,†13 April 1915. Killed in action during World War I.

Nikolay Kynin,RUS,FTB,1912,†1916. Killed during World War I.

Ivan Laing,GBR,HOK,1908,†30 November 1917. With the 2nd Battalion; Coldstream Guards he was killed in action in France during World War I and is buried in Metz-en-Couture Communal Cemetery; British Extension.

Octave Lapize,FRA,CYC,1908,†14 July 1917. Killed when his plane was shot down near Verdun.

Béla von Las-Torres,HUN,SWI,1908-12,†13 October 1915. Killed in action in Italy during World War I.

Henry Leeke,GBR,ATH,1908,†29 May 1915. Killed in action on the eve of his battalion’s departure for Gallipoli.

Erich Lehmann,GER,ATH,1912,†9 July 1918. Listed as missing in action in World War I.

Feliks Leparsky,RUS,FEN,1912,†10 January 1917. Killed in action in World War I.

Bertrand Count de Lesseps,FRA,FEN,1908,†28 August 1918. Killed in action during World War I.

Ismaël de Lesseps,FRA,FEN,1908,†30 September 1915. Killed in action during World War I.

Eduard von Lütcken,GER,EQU,1912,†15 September 1914. Killed in action during World War I.

Georges Lutz,FRA,CYC,1908,†31 January 1915. Killed in action in World War I.

Willy Lützow,GER,SWI,1912,†1916. Killed in action during World War I.

William Lyshon,USA,WRE,1912,†13 October 1918. Killed in the final days of World War I.

Duncan Mackinnon,GBR,ROW,1908,†9 October 1917. Killed in action at Ypres in the Battle of Passchendaele.

Gilchrist Maclagan,GBR,ROW,1908,†25 April 1915. Killed in action in Pilckem Ridge at the Second Battle of Ypres.

Leopold Mayer,AUT,SWI,1906,†21 September 1914. Killed in action during World War I.

Alphonse Meignant,FRA,ROW,1912,†4 November 1914. Killed at First Battle of Ypres during World War I.

Robert Merz,AUT,FTB,1912,†30 August 1914. Killed in action during World War I.

Georg Mickler,GER,ATH,1912,†14 June 1915. Killed in action during World War I somewhere in Poland.

Felice Milano (DNS),ITA,FTB,1912,†11 November 1915. Killed at the Fourth Battle of the Isonzo during World War I.

Percival Molson,CAN,ATH,1904,†5 July 1917. Killed in action when hit by mortar fire while attempting to rescue a fallen friend on the outskirts of Avignon France.

Alfred Motté,FRA,ATH,1908-12,†31 October 1918. Killed in action in World War I.

István Mudin,HUN,ATH,1906-08,†22 July 1918. Killed in action during World War I.

Edward Nash,GBR,EQU,1912,†21 February 1915. Killed in action during World War I.

Georges de la Nézière,FRA,ATH,1896,†9 October 1914. Killed in action during World War I.

Grigory Nikitin,RUS,FTB,1912,†1917. Killed during World War I.

Harcourt Ommundsen,GBR,SHO,1908-12,†19 September 1915. A Lieutenant in the Honourable Artillery Company when he was killed at the Battle of Ieper in World War I.

Alan Patterson,GBR,ATH,1908-12,†14 March 1916. Commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery he was killed in action only two days after his 30th birthday.

Árpád Pédery,HUN,GYM,1912,†21 October 1914. Killed in action during World War I.

Jacques Person,GER,ATH,1912,†15 July 1915. From Alsace; killed in action in Flanders as a member of the “7. Thüringische Infanterie Regiment Nr. 96”.

William Philo,GBR,BOX,1908,†7 July 1916. Killed in World War I during the battle of the Somme in France.

Hermann Plaskuda,GER,FEN,1912,†21 March 1918. Killed in action in World War II. His grave is in the war cemetary in St. Quentin France.

Léon Ponscarme,FRA,CYC,1900,†24 November 1916. Killed in action in World War I in Verdun.

Kenneth Powell,GBR,ATH/TEN,1908-12,†18 February 1915. Killed in action while serving as a private in the HAC.

Friedrich Karl Prince von Preußen,GER,EQU,1912,†6 April 1917. During a flight on 21 March 1917 he was forced to land with a bullet in his engine and a slight wound to his foot. He landed his Albatros aircraft in no-man’s land but while running towards his own lines he was severely wounded in the back by Australian troops. He was taken into Australian war captivity where he died from his injuries on 6 April 1917 at Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray.

Reggie Pridmore,GBR,HOK,1908,†13 March 1918. Served as a major in the Royal Horse & Field Artillery winning a Military Cross on the Somme before being killed in action in Italy.

Joseph Racine,FRA,CYC,1912,†28 October 1914. With the 113th Regiment Infantry he was killed in action in World War I.

Thomas Raddall,GBR,SHO,1908,†9 August 1918. With the 8th Battalion Canadian Infantry Manitoba Regiment he was killed in action in France in World War I and is buried in the Manitoba Cemetery in Caix.

Maurice Raoul-Duval,FRA,POL,1900,†5 May 1916. Killed in action during World War I.

Josef Rieder,GER,CYC,1912,†13 July 1916. Killed in action during World War I.

John Robinson,GBR,HOK,1908,†23 August 1916. Commissioned into the North Staffordshire Regiment he was soon promoted to captain but died from injuries received in the Mesopotamian campaign.

Patrick Roche,GBR,ATH,1908,†7 June 1917. A lieutenant in the Royal Engineers he won an MC in World War I and was later killed in action.

Albert Rowland,ANZ,ATH,1908,†23 July 1918. Killed in action during the Second Battle of The Marne.

Marius Royet (DNS),FRA,FTB,1908,†1915. Killed during World War I.

Maurice Salomez,FRA,ATH,1900,†7 August 1916. Killed in action in World War I.

Ronald Sanderson,GBR,ROW,1908,†17 April 1918. Killed in action near Ypres.

Heinrich Schneidereit,GER,TOW/WLT,1906,†30 September 1915. Killed in action as an artillery officer in France during World War I.

André Six,FRA,SWI,1900,†1914. Killed in action.

Pierre Six,FRA,FTB,1908,†7 July 1916. Killed in action during World War I.

Michel Soalhat,FRA,ATH,1906,†25 September 1915. Killed in action in World War I.

Robert Somers-Smith,GBR,ROW,1908,†1 July 1916. Killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

Geoffrey Taylor,CAN,ROW,1908-12,†24 April 1915. Missing; presumed killed; during the Second Battle of Ypres.

Felix Tekusch (DNS),AUT,FTB,1912,†21 May 1916. Killed in action during World War I.

Waldemar Tietgens,GER,ROW,1900,†28 July 1917. Killed in action during World War I.

Dragutin Tomašević,SRB,ATH,1912,†1915. Killed in action during World War I in Serbia

Justin Vialaret,FRA,FTB,1908,†30 September 1916. Killed in action in World War I.

Charles Vigurs,GBR,GYM,1908-12,†22 February 1917. With the 11th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment he was killed in action in France in World War I and is buried in the Maroc British Cemetery in Grenay.

Amon Ritter von Gregurich,HUN,FEN,1900,†28 June 1915. Killed in action during World War I.

Edmond Wallace,FRA,FEN,1900,†18 August 1915. Killed in action in World War I.

Rudolf Watzl,AUT,WRE,1906,†15 August 1915. Died from illness during World War I.

Arthur Wear,USA,TEN,1904,†6 November 1918. As a result of refusing to obtain proper treatment for a probable perforated duodenal ulcer; he died; still commanding his battalion; during the Meuse-Argonne fighting.

Arthur Wilde,GBR,SHO,1908,†21 January 1916. With the 1st/6th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment he was killed in action in World War I and is buried in the Arras Memorial.

Tony Wilding,ANZ,TEN,1912,†9 May 1915. Joined the British army and was leading an armoured car unit when he was killed at Aubers Ridge during the Battle of Neuve-Chapelle.

Victor Willems,BEL,FEN,1908-12,†1918. Killed in action during World War I.

Edward Williams,GBR,ROW,1908,†12 August 1915. With the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards he was killed in action in France in World War I and is buried in the St. Venant Communal Cemetery.

Herbert Wilson,GBR,POL,1908,†11 April 1917. Was a captain with the Royal Horse Guards near Arras. Died in the preliminary skirmishes leading up to the Battle of Paschendaele in Ypres Belgium.

Richard Yorke,GBR,ATH,1908-12,†22 December 1914. Killed in action in World War I while serving as a sergeant in the London Scottish.

Béla Zulawszky,HUN,FEN,1908-12,†24 October 1914. Killed in action during World War I.

[/table]

Metal Skis, Bar Fights, Cults, Suicides, and Sunglasses

[table]

Category,Data

Full Name,Jean Raoul Célina André Vuarnet

Used Name,Jean Vuarnet

Born,18 January 1938; Bardo (TUN)

Affiliations,Skiclub de Morzine

[/table]

[table]

Year-Season,Sport,Event,Finish,Medal

1960 Winter,Alpine Skiing,Downhill,1,Gold

[/table]

[table]

Category,Data

Full name,François Bonlieu

Born,21 March 1937; Juvincourt-et-Damary; Aisne (FRA)

Died,18 August 1973; Cannes; Alpes-Maritimes (FRA)

Affiliations,CR Mont Blanc

[/table]

[table]

Year-Season,Sport,Event,Finish,Medal

1956 Winter,Alpine Skiing,Giant Slalom,9,

1960 Winter,Alpine Skiing,Giant Slalom,11,

,,Slalom,DQ Run 2/2,

1964 Winter,Alpine Skiing,Downhill,15,

,,Giant Slalom,1,Gold

,,Slalom,DQ Run 1/2,

[/table]

[table]

Category,Data

Full Name,Marie Edith Bonlieu (-Vuarnet)

Used Name,Edith Bonlieu

Born,18 September 1934

Died,22 December 1995; Vercors; Isère (FRA)

[/table]

[table]

Year-Season,Sport,Event,Finish,Medal

1956 Winter,Alpine Skiing,Downhill,DNF,

[/table]

The Vuarnet family has known the best of times and the worst of times. Jean Vuarnet first featured internationally when he won a bronze medal in the downhill at the 1958 World Championships. He was a pioneer downhiller, as he was really the first to use a deep tucked position, emphasizing its aerodynamic advantages. In 1960, he used the position to win the gold medal in the downhill at Squaw Valley, the only Olympic event in which he competed. Vuarnet also skied that year on Rossignol metal skis, and was the first skier to win a major championship using metal skis.

Jean Vuarnet

After the Olympics, Vuarnet endorsed a brand of sunglasses that took his name, and Vuarnet Sunglasses later became among the world’s most popular brands. He also spent time as a sports administrator with the French Skiing Association from 1962-71.

In 1958, Vuarnet had married Edith Bonlieu, who competed at the 1956 Olympics. Her brother was François Bonlieu, who had a much more extensive Olympic ski career than either his sister or Vuarnet. François Bonlieu competed at the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Winter Olympics, competing in 6 events and winning the gold medal in giant slalom at the 1964 Innsbruck Olympics.

François Bonlieu became a member of the French ski team when he was only 15 years old. In 1954, when only 17, he won a silver medal in the giant slalom at the World Championships in Aare. In 1958, Bonlieu added a World bronze medal at the championships in Bad Gastein, Austria. He was also a two-time slalom winner at the Arlberg-Kandahar, in 1959 and 1963, and was a three-time French national champion. François Bonlieu eventually was killed in a fight in Cannes on the Promenade de la Croisette, after an argument, at only 36-years-old.

Edith Bonlieu-Vuarnet was a three-time French champion. She competed in the downhill at the 1956 Winter Olympics, but did not finish the race. Bonlieu-Vuarnet and their youngest son, Patrick, later joined the Order of the Solar Temple cult, known in France as the Ordre du Temple Solaire. The Order of the Solar Temple was founded in 1984 by Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret in Genève, Switzerland. The goals of the order were to establish the correct notions of authority and power in the world, affirm the primacy of the spiritual over the temporal, prepare for the Second Coming of Christ as a solar god-king, and assist in the unification of all Christian churches and Islam.

In 1994-95, the cult carried out mass suicides in several Swiss and French villages. The bodies were found in mass graves, dressed in ceremonial robes, lying in a circle, feet at the center, with plastic bags over their heads, and bullet wounds to the heads. Edith Bonlieu-Vuarnet and her son, Patrick Vuarnet, were among those who took their own lives.

They never lost. Not once. Not when the odds were against them, not when somebody else was favored, not when the weather was bad, not when they caught a bad break along the way, not when they were not feeling so well that day. They simply never lost. They are the undefeated Olympians.

Twenty-one (21) Olympians have won 4 or more gold medals, while going undefeated at the Olympics, winning in every event in which they competed. The list is below but it deserves some closer examination.

First of all, it’s almost evenly divided – there are 10 women and 11 men on the list. But it is not evenly divided by Olympics, as only Canadian ice hockey player Caroline Ouellette has ever done this at the Winter Olympics, a feat she accomplished in Sochi with her fourth consecutive gold medal (with thanx to NBCOlympicTalk’s Nick Zaccardi for spotting this  – and inspiring this stat post)

Caroline Ouellette

Secondly, most people did this spread out over several Olympics. Only American tracksters Alvin Kraenzlein (1900) and Jesse Owens (1936) and East German swimmer Kristin Otto (1988) accomplished this at a single Olympics, with Otto winning six gold medals in 1988. Six on this list took four Olympics to pull this off – Ray Ewry (1900-08), Rudolf Kárpáti (1948-60), Al Oerter (1956-68), Lisa Leslie (1996-2008), Matthew Pinsent (1992-2004), and Ouellette (2002-14).

Al Oerter

Topping the list is Ray Ewry, and you could quibble and say that that includes 1906, but even if we skip 1906, he tops the list with 8 gold medals in 8 events in which he competed – all standing jumps.

Ray Ewry

Next comes Otto and Hungarian fencer Kárpáti with their six gold medals, followed by two names on the list that you may not have suspected, who won five gold medals – American shooter Bud Fisher, who competed in 1920-24, and Russian synchro swimmer Anastasiya Davydova, who competed 2004-12.

If we limit this list to undefeated in four individual events only, six names remain, five Americans and Otto. Ewry still leads the list with 10, or 8 if you are picky, followed by five athletes with 4 individual gold medals in 4 events – Kraenzlein (ATH; 1900), Oerter (ATH; 1956-68), Otto (SWI; 1988), Archie Hahn (ATH; 1904-06), and Pat McCormick (DIV; 1952-56).

[table]

G,IG,Name,Gdr,Ssn,NOC,Sport

10,10,Ray Ewry,M,S,USA,ATH

6,4,Kristin Otto,F,S,GDR,SWI

6,2,Rudolf Kárpáti,M,S,HUN,FEN

5,2,Bud Fisher,M,S,USA,SHO

5,0,Anastasiya Davydova,F,S,RUS,SYN

4,4,Archie Hahn,M,S,USA,ATH

4,4,Al Kraenzlein,M,S,USA,ATH

4,4,Pat McCormick,F,S,USA,DIV

4,4,Al Oerter,M,S,USA,ATH

4,3,Jesse Owens,M,S,USA,ATH

4,2,Chen Ruolin,F,S,CHN,DIV

4,2,Deng Yaping,F,S,CHN,TTN

4,2,Harrison Dillard,M,S,USA,ATH

4,2,Bärbel Eckert-Wöckel,F,S,GDR,ATH

4,2,Jenő Fuchs,M,S,HUN,FEN

4,2,Viktor Krovopuskov,M,S,URS,FEN

4,2,Zhang Yining,F,S,CHN,TTN

4,0,Lisa Leslie,F,S,USA,BAS

4,0,Caroline Ouellette,F,W,CAN,ICH

4,0,Matthew Pinsent,M,S,GBR,ROW

4,0,Anastasiya Yermakova,F,S,RUS,SYN

[/table]

Quite a list containing many of the greatest Olympians ever. Bob Barney, Canadian Olympic historian, likes to end some of his tributes to athletes or scholars, by stating, “All honor to his/her name.” In this case, no finer acclamation could be given, so I’ll borrow from Bob. All honor to their names.