What defines the best Summer Olympic athletes of all-time? Although individual medals count is a good metric, going for only the gold is a better one.
Silver and bronze medals are special consolation prizes with the significance of representing a nation well on the biggest international athletics stage, but a gold medal means being the world's best and a true champion.
Here's looking at what athletes have won the most gold medals all-time (six or more), starting with the United States' most popular and dominant swimming legend.
Who's won the most gold medals in Olympics history?
No. 1 — 23 golds
Michael Phelps, United States, swimming, 2000-2016
Phelps has 14 more than any other athlete, including two more Americans, fellow swimmer Mark Spitz and track superstar Carl Lewis.
No. 2 (tie) — 9 golds
Carl Lewis, United States, track and field, 1984-1996
Lewis was once the fastest man alive, winning the 100-meter dash twice on top of taking home four Olympic long jump titles. His career spanned from Los Angeles to Atlanta, bookended by home soil.
Paavo Nurmi, Finland, track and field, 1920-1928
"The Flying Finn" was the world's most dominant long-distance runner a century ago.
Mark Spitz, United States, swimming, 1968-1972
Spitz needed only two games to prove he was the world's best water athlete at that time, setting a high bar for Phelps to clear.
Larisa Latynina, Soviet Union, gymnastics, 1956-1964
Back in the U.S.S.R days, Latynina was a super standout in a troika of Summer Games.
No. 6 (tie) — 8 golds
Usain Bolt, Jamaica, track and field, 2008-2016
Bolt, with his appropriate lightning-fast last name, pulled off an unprecedented fleet feat by winning both the 100 meters and 200 meters in three consecutive Olympics. He still leaves little doubt he's the best-ever pure speedster.
Birgit Fischer, East Germany/Germany, canoeing, 1980-2004
Fisher had an incredibly long Olympic career, paddling her way to big things.
Sawao Kato, Japan, gymnastics, 1968-1976
Nearly 50 years later, Kato is still the most decorated male gymnast of all time.
Jenny Thompson, United States, swimming, 1992-2004
Thompson had a long prolific career at short distances, winning plenty with freestyle and butterfly events.
Matt Biondi, United States, swimming, 1984-1992
Biondi was the first true American challenger to Spitz's mark but fell just short with his individual and relay victories.
Ray Ewry, United States, track and field, 1900-1908
Ewry was the best standing jumper at the turn of the century, dominating the long, triple, and high jumps over three Olympics.
No. 12 (tie) — 7 golds
Katie Ledecky, United States, swimming, 2012-active
Ledecky is set to become the most decorated freestyle female swimmer of all time. She has won individual golds at 200 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters, and 1500 meters and is looking for a few more in Paris.
Allyson Felix, United States, track and field, 2004-2020
Felix won the 200 meters gold in London in 2012 and racked up plenty of hardware as a core member of multiple relay teams.
Caeleb Dressel, United States, swimming, 2016-active
Dressel is also trying to get luckier than seven as a University of Florida Olympic product in Paris. He won individual golds in the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle, and 100-meter butterfly in the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Jason Kenny, cycling, Great Britain, 2008-2020
Kenny was an amazing sprint cyclist both in relays and individual events. His wife Laura Kenny has five golds as a sprint and endurance specialist.
Isabell Werth, Germany, equestrian, 1992-active
Werth has been the face of team and individual dressage going all the way back to Barcelona and has a chance to move up in Paris as she turns 55 in July.
Nikolai Andrianov, Soviet Union, gymnastics, 1972-1980
Andrianov won varied individual golds in Munich, Montreal, and Moscow, including floor exercise, the vault, and rings.
Viktor Chukarin, Soviet Union, gymnastics, 1952-1956
The Ukrainian legend won back-to-back men's all-arounds and also took golds in pommel horse, the vault, and parallel bars.
Boris Shakhlin, Soviet Union, gymnastics, 1956-1964
The Russian was a worthy successor and contemporary to Chukarin, standing out as the country's best male gymnast until Andrianov's arrival.
Vera Caslavska, Czechoslovakia, gymnastics, 1960-1968
Caslavska won back-to-back all-arounds in Tokyo and Mexico City and also added golds in the vault, balance beam, uneven bars, and floor exercise.
Aladar Gerevich, Hungary, fencing, 1932-1960
Gerevich was part of the Hungarian dominance in a sport that has great Olympics longevity. The saber specialist is considered to be the GOAT Olympic swordsman.
Svetlana Romashina, Russia/ROC, synchronized swimming, 2008-2020
Romashina won team events in Beijing, London, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo and also won three consecutive Olympic duet titles.
No. 23 (tie) — 6 golds
Ryan Lochte, United States, swimming, 2004-2016
Amy Van Dyken, United States, swimming, 1996-2000
Kristin Otto, East Germany, swimming, 1988
Vitaly Scherbo, Unified Team/Belarus, gymnastics, 1992-1996
Reiner Klimke, United Team of Germany/West Germany, equestrian, 1964-1968
Hubert Van Innis, Belgium, archery, 1900-1920
Akinora Nakayama, Japan, gymnastics, 1968-1972
Edoardo Mangiarotti, Italy, fencing, 1936-1960
Valentina Vezzali, Italy, fencing, 1996-2012
Nedo Nadi, Italy, fencing, 1912-1920
Gert Fredriksson, Sweden, canoeing, 1948-1960
Chris Hoy, Great Britain, cycling, 2000-2012
Danuta Kozak, Hungary, canoeing, 2008-2020
Pal Kovacs, Hungary, fencing, 1936-1960
Rudolf Karpati, Hungary, fencing, 1948-1960
