50 greatest Summer Olympians in history
By John Buhler
18. Jenny Thompson, Swimming.
Along with Natalie Coughlin and Dara Torres, American swimmer Jenny Thompson — winner of eight gold, three silver, and one bronze over the course of her monumental Olympic career — stands as the most decorated Summer Olympian in American history.
Thompson won three medals in her first Olympics showing (1992 in Barcelona), capturing the gold in the 4×100 m freestyle relay, gold in the 4×100 m medley relay, and silver in the 100 m freestyle.
Thompson earned three more gold medals in the 1996 Games in Atlanta (for the 4×100 m freestyle relay, 4×200 m freestyle relay, and 4×100 m individual medley relay), eventually capturing the same three golds at the 2000 Games in Sydney, along with a bronze medal in the 100 m freestyle.
Closing out her great Summer Olympics career, Thompson won two silver medals in the 2004 Athens Games, finishing second in the 4×100 m freestyle and 4×100 m individual medley relays. And while most of her medals were won as part of relays (eight of which were relay gold for Team USA), Thompson’s place in the pantheon of Olympic greats is all but secure.
Next: 17. Carl Lewis.