Olympic athletics: track and field history

he Olympic Athletics competition begins in Beijing on Friday, 15 August and the United States are again expected to be the most successful nation as they have been in the last six Olympic Games and all but three in Olympic history.

In 2004, their eight gold medals ranked as the lowest number of golds for a leading nation until Marion Jones (USA) had three golds and two bronze medals taken away from her, causing their 2000 tally to drop to seven golds and 15 total medals.

Just before Beijing 2008 began, the American Men’s 4x400m relay team were also stripped of their gold medal at Sydney 2000 taking the US total to six golds and 14 medals in total.

This is still enough to name the US as the most successful nation in Athletics at Sydney 2000, according to Infostrada.

Most successful nation in Athletics for each Olympic Games

Year Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
2004 United States 8 12 5 25
2000 United States 6 4 4 14
1996 United States 13 5 5 23
1992 United States 12 8 10 30
1988 United States 13 7 6 26
1984 United States 16 15 9 40
1980 Soviet Union 15 14 12 41
1976 East Germany 11 7 9 27
1972 Soviet Union 9 7 1 17
1968 United States 15 6 7 28
1964 United States 14 7 3 24
1960 United States 12 8 6 26
1956 United States 16 10 5 31
1952 United States 15 10 6 31
1948 United States 12 5 10 27
1936 United States 14 7 4 25
1932 United States 16 13 6 35
1928 United States 9 8 8 25
1924 United States 12 10 10 32
1920 United States 9 12 8 29
1912 United States 16 14 11 41
1908 United States 16 10 8 34
1904 United States 23 23 22 68
1900 United States 16 13 10 39
1896 United States 9 6 1 16

United States and China go for 100 medals

In 2004, the United States won more than 100 medals at the Olympic Games, the 15th time that this had happened. China and USA are expected to repeat this feat in Beijing.

The United States have had personal hauls of at least 100 medals at seven Olympic Games, including three of the last four.

The former Soviet Union (including Unified Team), East Germany and Great Britain are the only other countries to have picked up at least 100 medals at a single Olympic Games.

East Germany (1980 and 1988) and the United States (1992) won over 100 medals but failed to top the medal table.

The record number of medals won by a country at an Olympic Games was 233 by the United States at the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis.

Nations winning 100+ medals in edition of Olympic Games

Total Nation Edition Gold Silver Bronze
102 United States 2004 36 39 27
101 United States 1996 44 32 25
112 Unified Team 1992 45 38 29
108 United States 1992 37 34 37
132 Soviet Union 1988 55 31 46
102 East Germany 1988 37 35 30
174 United States 1984 83 61 30
195 Soviet Union 1980 80 69 46
126 East Germany 1980 47 37 42
125 Soviet Union 1976 49 41 35
107 United States 1968 45 28 34
103 Soviet Union 1960 43 29 31
103 United States 1932 41 32 30
136 Great Britain 1908 55 46 35
233 United States 1904 75 79 79