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The greatest Olympic athlete from every U.S. state

By Adam Strangis

16th October 1964: Alfred A Oerter, American winner of the Gold Medal in the Tokyo Olympics 1964 for Discus throwing. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
16th October 1964: Alfred A Oerter, American winner of the Gold Medal in the Tokyo Olympics 1964 for Discus throwing. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images) /
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Jenny Thompson waits in the pool at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team Media Opportunity Day at Avery Aquatic Center at Stanford University, July 24, 2004. (Photo by Robert B. Stanton/WireImage)
Jenny Thompson waits in the pool at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team Media Opportunity Day at Avery Aquatic Center at Stanford University, July 24, 2004. (Photo by Robert B. Stanton/WireImage) /

New Hampshire: Jenny Thompson

Sport: Swimming

Olympics: Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, and Athens 2004

It’s not the craziest thing to say that Jenny Thompson is the female version of Mark Spitz or Michael Phelps. She remains one of the most decorated swimmers that the United States has ever seen from her days at Stanford University and onward. This is another athlete on the list who was technically born in another state, but Thompson herself proclaims that Dover is her hometown. She was born in Massachusetts but moved during her childhood. Her swimming career started when Thompson was a mere 14 years old and gained momentum in the years that followed.

Thompson was a member of the United States swim team for many years and won numerous medals at the Pan American Games and the World Championships. While she attended Stanford, she recorded 19 different relay and individual NCAA titles. She and her teammates were regarded as one of the most dominant collegiate swim teams ever. Thompson had a bit of a strange Olympic career since she never won an individual medal. She enjoyed most of her success from 1992 to 2000. All 12 of her medals came in relay events. Of course, there is nothing to be ashamed of when an athlete wins eight golds, three silvers, and a bronze medal across four Olympic Games. It’s more of a footnote in history because Thompson was such a gifted swimmer. Her eight golds remains a record for a female swimmer to this day.

After her swimming career, Thompson pursued a medical degree and works as an anesthesiologist in Maine. She has maintained a presence around U.S. Swimming and also has been a celebrity swimmer for Swim Across America, which raises money for cancer research.

Honorable Mention: Penny Pitou, skiing in Cortina D’Ampezzo 1956 and Squaw Valley 1960

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