50 greatest Summer Olympians in history

34. Takashi Ono, Gymnastics.

For four Olympiads between 1952 and 1964, gymnast Takashi Ono was the star athlete who best represented Japan, totaling 13  medals in four appearances (five gold, four silver, and four bronze).

Ono’s first medal was a bronze on the vault in Helsinki in 1952. He would win five medals in Melbourne in 1956 (gold on the horizontal bar, silver in the all-around, pommel horse, and team, and bronze on the parallel bars).

Ono would have his best individual Olympics in 1960 — the same year he served as flag-bearer for his home country — taking home six medals overall: gold in the horizontal bar, vault, and team; silver in the all-around; and bronze on the parallel bars and rings. Fittingly, Ono captured his last Olympic gold four years later in Tokyo.

Next: 33. Elisabeta Lipa.