Olympic champions and medalists

The athletes (or teams) who place first, second, or third in each event receive medals. The winners receive gold medals. (Though they were solid gold until 1912, after which they were made of gilded silver, though nowadays plated silver. However, every gold medal must contain at least 6 grams of pure gold) The runners-up receive silver medals, and the third-place athletes, bronze medals. In some events contested by a single-elimination tournament (most notably boxing), third place might not be determined, in which case both semi-final losers receive bronze medals. The practice of awarding medals to the top three competitors was introduced in 1904; at the 1896 Olympics only the first two received a medal, silver and bronze, while various prizes were awarded in 1900. However, the 1904 Olympics also awarded silver trophies for first place. It was at the Intercalated Games of 1906 that the three medal award format was first introduced. Since the IOC no longer recognizes these games as official Olympic games, the first "official" awarding of the three medals came in the London Olympics of 1908. In addition, from 1948 onward athletes placing fourth, fifth and sixth have received certificates which became officially known as "victory diplomas;" since 1976 the medal winners have received these also, and in 1984 victory diplomas for seventh- and eighth-place finishers were added, presumably to ensure that all losing quarter-finalists in events using single-elimination formats would receive diplomas, thus obviating the need for consolation (or officially, "classification") matches to determine fifth through eighth places (though interestingly these latter are still contested in many elimination events anyway). Certificates were awarded also at the 1896 Olympics, but there they were awarded in addition to the medals to first and second place. Commemorative medals and diplomas—which differ in design from those referred to above—are also made available to participants finishing lower than third and eighth respectively. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, the first three were given wreaths as well as their medals. Because the Olympics are held only once every four years, the public and athletes often consider Olympic medals as more important and valuable than world championships and other international tournaments, which are often held annually. Many athletes have become celebrities or heroes in their own country, or even world-wide, after becoming Olympic champions.

The question of which athlete is the most successful of all time is a difficult one to answer. The diversity of the sports, and the evolution the Olympic Games have undergone since 1896 complicate the matter. On top of this is the fact that some sports such as wrestling or boxing allow the competitor to win only one medal in an Olympics. It is further complicated by the fact that the IOC no longer recognises the Intercalated Games which it originally organised. While it may not be the most equitable way to measure success, a list of the most titles won at the Modern Olympic Games by individuals is one way to determine the greatest Olympic athletes of all time.