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Athletics at the Summer Olympics facts for kids

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Athletics at the Summer Olympics
Athletics pictogram.svg
Governing body IAAF
Events 48 (men: 24; women: 23; mixed: 1)
Games
  • 1896
  • 1900
  • 1904
  • 1908
  • 1912
  • 1920
  • 1924
  • 1928
  • 1932
  • 1936
  • 1948
  • 1952
  • 1956
  • 1960
  • 1964
  • 1968
  • 1972
  • 1976
  • 1980
  • 1984
  • 1988
  • 1992
  • 1996
  • 2000
  • 2004
  • 2008
  • 2012
  • 2016
  • 2020
  • Medalists

Athletics has been contested at every Summer Olympics since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics. The athletics program traces its earliest roots to events used in the ancient Greek Olympics. The modern program includes track and field events, road running events, and race walking events. Cross country running was also on the program in earlier editions but it was dropped after the 1924 Summer Olympics.

Summary

Games Year Events Best Nation
1 1896 12  United States
2 1900 23  United States
3 1904 25  United States
4 1908 26  United States
5 1912 30  United States
6
7 1920 29  United States
8 1924 27  United States
9 1928 27  United States
10 1932 29  United States
11 1936 29  United States
12
13
14 1948 33  United States
15 1952 33  United States
16 1956 33  United States
Games Year Events Best Nation
17 1960 34  United States
18 1964 36  United States
19 1968 36  United States
20 1972 38  Soviet Union
21 1976 37  East Germany
22 1980 38  Soviet Union
23 1984 41  United States
24 1988 42  United States
25 1992 43  United States
26 1996 44  United States
27 2000 46  United States
28 2004 46  United States
29 2008 47  United States
30 2012 47  United States
31 2016 47  United States
32 2020 48  United States

Events

The events contested have varied widely. From 1900 to 1920, tug of war was considered to be part of the Olympic athletics programme, although the sports of tug of war and athletics are now considered distinct.

Men's events

No new events have been added to the men's athletics programme since the 1952 addition of the short racewalk. The roster of events has not changed since then, with the exception of the omission of the long racewalk in 1976 (the IAAF held a 50 km walk World Championships that year instead and as a result the event was restored in 1980). The long racewalk is the only event currently held for men but not included on the women's programme, with the exception of women taking part in the heptathlon rather than the decathlon and the 100 metres hurdles rather than the 110 metres hurdles. The last women's event added to the roster was the 3000 metres steeplechase in 2008.

A total of 52 different events have been held in the men's competition. The current list comprises 23 events. Many of the discontinued events were similar to modern ones but at different lengths, especially in the steeplechasing, hurdling, and racewalking disciplines. Team racing events have been eliminated after appearing in six early editions of the Games. The athletic triathlon (an unusual event, held only once and featuring gymnasts competing in the long jump, shot put, and 100 metre dash) and pentathlon multi-discipline events were phased out in favor of the decathlon, and the medley relay replaced with even-leg relays. Standing jump competitions are no longer held, nor are the various modified throwing events which were experimented with in 1908 and 1912. Cross country running was on the program from 1912 to 1924 and is the most prominent form of athletics not to feature at the Olympics.

Current program
Event 96 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
100 metres (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 30
200 metres (details) – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 29
400 metres (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 30
800 metres (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 30
1500 metres (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 30
5000 metres (details) – – – – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 26
10,000 metres (details) – – – – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 26
Marathon (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 30
110 metres hurdles (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 30
400 metres hurdles (details) – X X X – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 28
3000 metres steeplechase (details) – – – – – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 25
4 × 100 metres relay (details) – – – – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 26
4 × 400 metres relay (details) – – – – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 26
20 kilometres race walk (details) – – – – – – – – – – – – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 18
High jump (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 30
Pole vault (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 30
Long jump (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 30
Triple jump (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 30
Shot put (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 30
Discus throw (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 30
Hammer throw (details) – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 29
Javelin throw (details) – – – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 27
Decathlon (details) – – – – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 26
Past events
Event 96 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
60 metres (details) – X X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 2
200 metres hurdles (details) – X X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 2
2500 metres steeplechase (details) – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 1
2590 metres steeplechase (details) – – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 1
3200 metres steeplechase (details) – – – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 1
4000 metres steeplechase (details) – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 1
Medley relay (details) – – – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 1
3000 metres team race (details) – – – – X X X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 3
5000 metres team race (details) – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 1
3-mile team race (details) – – – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 1
4-mile team race (details) – – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 1
5 miles (details) – – – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 1
3000 metres race walk (details) – – – – – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 1
3500 metres race walk (details) – – – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 1
10 kilometres race walk (details) – – – – X X X – – – X X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 5
10 miles race walk (details) – – – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 1
50 kilometres race walk (details) – – – – – – – – X X X X X X X X X – X X X X X X X X X X X - 20
All-around (details) – – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − – - 1
Triathlon (details) – – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 1
Pentathlon (details) – – – – X X X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 3
Standing long jump (details) – X X X X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − – - 4
Standing triple jump (details) – X X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 2
Standing high jump (details) – X X X X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 4
56 pound weight throw (details) – – X – – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 2
Shot put, two hands (details) – – – – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 1
Discus throw, Greek style (details) – – – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 1
Discus throw, two hands (details) – – – – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 1
Javelin throw, freestyle (details) – – – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 1
Javelin throw, two hands (details) – – – – X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 1
Individual cross country (details) – – – – X X X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 3
Team cross country (details) – – – – X X X – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 3
Total 12 23 25 26 30 29 27 22 23 23 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 23 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24

Women's events

Women's competition in athletics began at the 1928 Summer Olympics

Current program
Event 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Games
100 metres (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 23
200 metres (details) – – – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 20
400 metres (details) – – – – – – – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 15
800 metres (details) X – – – – – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 18
1500 metres (details) – – – – – – – – – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 14
5000 metres (details) – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – X X X X X X X X 8
10,000 metres (details) – – – – – – – – – – – – – X X X X X X X X X X 10
Marathon (details) – – – – – – – – – – – – X X X X X X X X X X X 11
100 metres hurdles (details) – – – – – – – – – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 14
400 metres hurdles (details) – – – – – – – – – – – – X X X X X X X X X X X 11
3000 metres steeplechase (details) – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – X X X X X 5
4 × 100 metres relay (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 23
4 × 400 metres relay (details) – – – – – – – – – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 14
20 kilometres race walk (details) – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – X X X X X X X 7
High jump (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 23
Pole vault (details) – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – X X X X X X X 7
Long jump (details) – – – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 20
Triple jump (details) – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – X X X X X X X X 8
Shot put (details) – – – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 20
Discus throw (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 23
Hammer throw (details) – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – X X X X X X X 7
Javelin throw (details) – X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 22
Heptathlon (details) – – – – – – – – – – – – X X X X X X X X X X X 11
Past events
Event 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Games
80 metres hurdles (details) – X X X X X X X X – – – – – – – – – – – – − - 8
Pentathlon (details) – – – – – – – X X X X X – – – – – – – – – − − 5
3000 metres (details) – – – – – – – – – – – – X X X – – – – – – − − 3
10 kilometres race walk (details) – – – – – – – – – – – – – – X X – – – – – − − 2
Total 5 6 6 9 9 9 10 12 12 14 14 14 17 18 19 20 22 22 23 23 23 23 23

Mixed events

The mixed event, a 4 x 400 meters relay, first made an appearance at the 2020 Summer Olympics. The event includes teams of four athletes, two men and two women who are allowed to run in any order decided by the team. Paris 2024 will feature one more mixed team event.

Current program
Event 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Games
4 × 400 metres relay (details) – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − − X X 2
Marathon Race Walking Mixed Relay (details) – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − − – X 1
Total – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – − − 1 2

Nations

Nearly every nation that has competed at the Olympics has entered the athletics competition, except Bhutan. The number in each box represents the number of athletes the nation sent.

Nation 96 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 Years
 Afghanistan (AFG) 2 5 2 2 2 2 2 7
 Albania (ALB) 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 7
 Algeria (ALG) 4 9 9 12 9 8 21 20 12 6 15 11
 American Samoa (ASA) 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 7
 Andorra (AND) 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 7
 Angola (ANG) 3 6 5 2 2 1 1 2 2 9
 Antigua and Barbuda (ANT) 8 10 10 5 8 2 3 4 3 9
 Argentina (ARG) 10 7 11 8 24 16 2 4 6 6 9 2 7 2 4 8 11 8 11 9 20
 Armenia (ARM) 2 3 2 2 4 5
 Aruba (ARU) 2 2 1 2 1 5
 Australasia (ANZ) 9 5 2
 Australia (AUS) 1 1 2 4 9 7 4 5 18 17 76 28 35 24 22 27 21 30 28 35 60 82 42 40 50 25
 Austria (AUT) 1 2 12 7 4 2 29 15 15 3 9 8 12 15 6 11 6 10 16 11 12 6 3 7 24
 Azerbaijan (AZE) 4 4 4 2 3 5
 Bahamas (BAH) 1 2 3 8 8 8 14 11 8 20 19 16 18 20 14
 Bahrain (BRN) 1 3 6 1 2 6 11 9 8
 Bangladesh (BAN) 1 4 4 2 2 1 2 1 8
 Barbados (BAR) 2 7 9 9 6 8 4 11 3 3 4 11
 Belarus (BLR) 34 31 41 47 44 5
 Belgium (BEL) 6 2 42 17 32 13 18 21 6 12 10 15 15 25 19 15 13 7 12 9 9 17 14 23
 Belize (BIZ) 2 2 4 5 5 4 2 2 3 2 10
 Benin (BEN) 1 9 6 4 5 2 2 2 2 9
 Bermuda (BER) 6 2 2 8 4 5 4 3 1 1 2 2 12
 Bohemia (BOH) 4 3 11 3
 Bolivia (BOL) 4 1 3 2 6 3 2 2 2 2 10
 Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) 4 2 4 2 2 2 5 2 8
 Botswana (BOT) 7 6 6 5 6 6 9 7 3 9
 Brazil (BRA) 8 19 10 12 10 6 5 1 3 2 8 11 20 20 24 40 18 34 41 30 67 53 22
 British Virgin Islands (IVB) 4 2 1 6 1 1 2 2 8
 British West Indies (BWI) 7 1
 Brunei (BRU) 1 1 2 3
 Bulgaria (BUL) 4 2 4 8 9 9 18 19 47 22 21 17 22 19 15 8 16
 Burkina Faso (BUR) 1 4 3 4 2 3 2 2 8
 Burundi (BDI) 7 6 5 2 3 5
 Cameroon (CMR) 1 1 4 4 9 5 7 8 11 7 5 2 12
 Cambodia (CAM) 4 2 2 2 2 2 6
 Canada (CAN) 4 6 27 18 14 27 32 29 28 27 22 18 16 16 27 32 55 61 63 48 39 36 21 29 42 25
 Cape Verde (CPV) 3 2 1 1 2 5
 Cayman Islands (CAY) 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 7
 Central African Republic (CAF) 1 1 1 8 5 2 2 2 2 9
 Chad (CHA) 2 3 3 3 6 4 4 2 1 2 1 11
 Chile (CHI) 6 2 3 8 10 15 15 6 4 3 8 2 1 6 5 3 4 7 3 6 8 21
 China (CHN) 1 22 3 22 44 33 31 26 52 66 51 11
 Chinese Taipei (TPE) 4 6 5 11 7 10 12 2 7 2 2 3 6 13
 Colombia (COL) 1 5 2 4 4 4 7 7 4 5 8 5 13 11 11 14 29 17
 Comoros (COM) 4 2 2 2 2 5
 Republic of the Congo (CGO) 2 6 6 6 7 6 2 2 1 2 2 11
 Democratic Republic of the Congo (COD) 2 6 7 2 2 2 2 2 8
 Cook Islands (COK) 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 7
 Costa Rica (CRC) 2 1 3 4 8 2 1 3 4 9
 Croatia (CRO) 2 3 15 12 10 9 6
 Cuba (CUB) 1 1 3 5 2 3 3 18 19 26 17 34 46 33 33 43 46 17
 Cyprus (CYP) 3 4 5 8 10 7 6 4 8
 Czech Republic (CZE) 23 24 36 29 31 5
 Czechoslovakia (TCH) 16 18 11 3 31 11 20 16 22 12 13 27 14 22 23 18 16
 Denmark (DEN) 3 4 8 14 18 9 10 2 10 16 11 2 9 4 6 13 3 2 3 5 3 7 4 5 3 6 26
 Djibouti (DJI) 3 5 5 3 2 2 2 7
 Dominica (DMA) 5 2 2 2 2 5
 Dominican Republic (DOM) 1 9 2 2 4 3 3 2 5 6 9 11
 East Germany (GDR) 47 62 58 82 58 5
 East Timor (TLS) 2 1 2 2 5
 Ecuador (ECU) 3 1 1 3 5 7 4 3 8 11 13 11
 Egypt (EGY) 2 1 4 2 7 1 7 4 2 2 4 6 12
 Eritrea (ERI) 3 4 10 11 4
 Equatorial Guinea (GEQ) 4 6 7 5 2 2 2 2 8
 El Salvador (ESA) 10 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 9
 Estonia (EST) 7 11 4 1 7 5 13 5 15 14 10 18 12
 Ethiopia (ETH) 8 5 5 9 20 25 15 16 24 24 27 31 12
 Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) 2 2 2 2 4
 Fiji (FIJ) 1 2 1 2 2 4 8 7 7 1 2 2 2 13
 Finland (FIN) 15 23 26 52 35 22 37 36 69 19 26 17 10 32 31 26 22 18 26 26 23 23 19 17 24
 France (FRA) 5 21 (1) 19 25 59 70 50 12 40 65 54 29 36 38 40 49 44 31 43 55 57 49 53 55 48 47 54 28
 Gabon (GAB) 2 1 2 4 2 2 2 2 8
 The Gambia (GAM) 10 3 5 9 2 2 2 2 8
 Georgia (GEO) 2 2 3 2 4 5
 Germany (GER) 5 6 2 20 24 62 27 77 39 79 85 64 71 53 71 15
 Ghana (GHA) 7 7 12 8 13 15 11 8 15 18 10 3 2 13
 Great Britain (GBR) 5 9 3 126 61 41 65 55 24 52 79 66 55 61 62 68 70 52 61 85 102 91 77 72 54 58 69 27
 Greece (GRE) 30 2 10 12 5 9 12 13 7 14 15 11 6 19 5 7 12 12 8 10 6 11 25 43 56 32 23 27
 Grenada (GRN) 2 2 4 5 2 3 8 6 8
 Guam (GUM) 6 2 2 2 2 2 2 7
 Guatemala (GUA) 6 5 3 7 1 6 7 5 4 6 10
 Guinea (GUI) 3 2 5 4 2 1 2 2 8
 Guinea-Bissau (GBS) 2 2 2 2 2 5
 Guyana (GUY) 1 2 4 1 2 4 3 3 6 4 2 3 3 13
 Haiti (HAI) 3 2 2 7 10 1 3 2 3 3 4 4 4 13
 Honduras (HON) 6 3 3 3 4 1 1 1 2 2 10
 Hong Kong (HKG) 4 3 3 3 1 5 1 2 5 9
 Hungary (HUN) 3 9 2 19 27 16 26 5 25 12 35 19 26 31 31 33 16 27 15 24 22 37 35 20 18 25
 Iceland (ISL) 1 4 11 9 2 7 2 3 4 7 4 7 7 4 3 6 2 3 3 19
 India (IND) 1 3 7 7 4 4 8 8 8 11 13 2 8 4 11 8 5 2 6 24 17 14 14 34 26 25
 Independent Olympic Participants (IOP) 9 2 2 3
 Indonesia (INA) 1 3 1 1 1 5 5 1 5 2 2 2 12
 Iran (IRI) 1 2 1 8 1 3 4 1 2 1 1 2 6 10 14
 Iraq (IRQ) 2 11 4 6 2 1 2 2 2 2 10
 Ireland (IRL) 10 10 4 10 2 3 9 7 5 13 7 7 17 18 19 24 32 11 16 21 20
 Israel (ISR) 7 1 8 5 2 2 6 4 4 8 5 4 3 13
 Italy (ITA) 2 12 12 24 36 24 21 32 25 33 21 47 22 26 40 32 26 51 38 39 50 47 35 45 33 25
 Ivory Coast (CIV) 6 7 6 8 6 9 9 5 8 2 1 3 12
 Jamaica (JAM) 10 7 6 15 15 21 14 16 32 26 28 38 43 41 45 42 16
 Japan (JPN) 2 11 8 16 34 46 19 20 20 64 19 19 15 22 29 31 32 40 38 37 44 21
 Jordan (JOR) 5 2 2 2 2 2 2 7
 Kazakhstan (KAZ) 18 25 21 19 24 5
 Kenya (KEN) 8 5 11 18 22 32 33 38 43 36 31 37 42 13
 Kiribati (KIR) 2 1 2 3
 Kuwait (KUW) 2 2 6 8 2 6 4 1 4 5 2 3 12
 Kyrgyzstan (KGZ) 6 8 7 5 2 5
 Laos (LAO) 7 1 5 5 2 2 2 2 8
 Latvia (LAT) 10 6 2 7 7 16 17 15 16 22 10
 Lebanon (LIB) 1 2 1 2 3 3 1 2 2 2 2 11
 Lesotho (LES) 1 5 2 3 6 9 2 2 4 3 10
 Liberia (LBR) 4 4 1 5 7 4 5 8 2 3 3 11
 Libya (LBA) 1 7 2 1 4 1 2 2 2 9
 Liechtenstein (LIE) 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 12
 Lithuania (LTU) 5 8 14 18 12 18 20 17 11 9
 Luxembourg (LUX) 2 6 3 4 6 6 7 3 6 3 1 1 3 1 1 3 1 1 18
 North Macedonia (MKD) 2 2 2 2 4
 Madagascar (MAD) 3 3 7 3 2 5 6 7 3 2 2 11
 Malawi (MAW) 11 5 5 4 2 2 2 2 2 9
 Malaysia (MAL) 7 3 2
 Malaysia (MAS) 12 10 8 3 2 2 1 3 2 2 3 2 12
 Maldives (MDV) 7 5 5 2 2 2 2 7
 Mali (MLI) 2 1 1 3 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 12
 Malta (MLT) 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 9
 Marshall Islands (MHL) 2 2 2
 Mauritius (MRI) 4 3 3 12 6 4 3 2 8
 Mauritania (MTN) 2 6 4 2 2 2 2 7
 Mexico (MEX) 11 11 25 3 5 2 1 5 5 26 11 7 7 16 21 24 15 22 27 23 18 21
 Moldova (MDA) 7 11 12 14 8 5
 Monaco (MON) 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 7
 Montenegro (MNE) 2 2 2
 Mongolia (MGL) 3 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 9
 Morocco (MAR) 8 4 4 8 3 11 13 17 24 22 26 21 12
 Mozambique (MOZ) 9 7 3 3 1 2 2 1 2 9
 Myanmar (MYA) 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 2 3 2 2 2 2 13
 Namibia (NAM) 3 3 6 3 4 3 6
 Nepal (NEP) 2 2 1 5 5 7 1 2 2 2 2 2 12
 Netherlands (NED) 19 1 11 20 50 7 18 22 10 10 8 12 7 5 9 13 18 15 10 9 20 14 18 23
 Netherlands Antilles (AHO) 2 3 1 1 2 2 1 7
 New Zealand (NZL) 2 1 3 6 3 3 4 9 14 14 9 16 10 14 6 13 18 8 13 10 8 21
 Nicaragua (NCA) 7 5 5 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 10
 Niger (NIG) 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 8
 Nigeria (NGR) 9 10 8 14 15 19 16 17 23 14 32 28 17 22 21 15
 North Borneo (NBO) 2 1
 North Korea (PRK) 2 3 3 3 4 6 4 6 5 9
 North Yemen (YAR) 2 4 2
 Norway (NOR) 2 11 21 16 10 13 3 11 20 19 5 11 6 5 13 10 13 12 9 13 12 9 9 11 24
 Oman (OMA) 7 5 4 1 4 1 2 2 8
 Pakistan (PAK) 5 16 19 12 6 5 2 3 7 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 17
 Palau (PLW) 2 2 2 2 4
 Palestine (PLE) 1 1 2 2 2 5
 Panama (PAN) 1 4 4 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 3 12
 Papua New Guinea (PNG) 3 5 6 6 6 2 2 2 2 9
 Paraguay (PAR) 2 1 5 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 10
 Peru (PER) 9 9 3 4 3 1 5 2 1 2 5 2 2 3 5 15
 Philippines (PHI) 1 2 1 6 1 1 4 7 11 4 6 1 6 4 3 2 2 2 2 2 20
 Poland (POL) 14 15 7 17 7 29 23 49 35 31 45 32 48 21 24 23 35 45 60 52 20
 Portugal (POR) 3 3 3 1 2 4 7 5 3 1 6 6 3 14 28 36 30 21 26 27 24 21
 Puerto Rico (PUR) 4 10 7 7 6 6 9 10 14 5 7 5 8 3 5 10 16
 Qatar (QAT) 6 8 11 9 12 10 14 6 8
 Rhodesia (RHO) 2 3 2
 Russia (RUS) 1 32 85 109 115 104 97 7
 Romania (ROU) 13 5 12 5 9 12 11 18 16 21 9 5 25 25 23 26 17 17 18
 Rwanda (RWA) 3 6 7 4 3 3 2 3 8
 Saar (SAA) 6 1
 Saint Kitts and Nevis (SKN) 10 2 2 4 4 5
 Saint Lucia (LCA) 5 3 1 3 2 5
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (VIN) 6 6 8 2 2 2 2 7
 Samoa (SAM) 2 1 2 2 2 1 6
 San Marino (SMR) 2 1 2 2 5 1 1 1 1 1 10
 São Tomé and Príncipe (STP) 2 2 2 2 2 5
 Saudi Arabia (KSA) 10 14 6 2 9 11 7 8 10 9
 Senegal (SEN) 12 9 12 10 10 11 12 9 7 9 9 2 6 13
 Serbia (SRB) 2 10 14 3
 Serbia and Montenegro (SCG) 8 24 7 3
 Seychelles (SEY) 9 5 4 2 2 2 2 2 9
 Sierra Leone (SLE) 2 12 5 8 11 12 2 2 2 2 10
 Singapore (SIN) 1 1 4 1 3 1 2 2 2 2 10
 Slovakia (SVK) 14 16 12 18 11 5
 Slovenia (SLO) 4 10 19 19 17 12 8
 Solomon Islands (SOL) 2 1 3 2 2 2 2 7
 Somalia (SOM) 3 7 5 4 2 2 2 2 8
 South Africa (RSA) 3 6 7 13 12 9 4 14 6 13 9 7 16 22 23 32 23 20 18
 South Korea (KOR) 9 6 7 6 17 4 2 11 47 11 17 13 18 17 17 15
 South Vietnam (VNM) 1 2 1 3
 South Yemen (YMD) 3 1
 Soviet Union (URS) 77 75 81 84 70 74 70 99 83 9
 Spain (ESP) 14 13 10 7 13 6 10 11 17 21 26 34 59 56 58 56 54 46 18
 Sri Lanka (SRI) 3 1 1 1 1 1 3 4 2 7 6 13 4 2 2 15
 Suriname (SUR) 1 1 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 11
 Sudan (SUD) 2 2 6 3 3 3 3 2 4 8 4 11
 Eswatini (SWZ) 1 3 5 5 4 2 2 2 2 9
 Sweden (SWE) 1 8 31 106 64 33 29 9 37 50 45 17 26 16 18 26 19 16 24 11 19 17 14 12 12 9 26
 Switzerland (SUI) 1 1 13 17 9 3 19 20 28 21 12 22 28 7 15 17 19 15 23 13 9 7 11 23
 Syria (SYR) 1 12 1 3 1 3 2 2 2 9
 Tajikistan (TJK) 1 2 2 2 2 5
 Tanzania (TAN) 4 3 7 16 12 6 4 5 4 8 7 3 12
 Thailand (THA) 8 8 8 18 4 4 10 4 18 8 12 3 11 2 14
 Togo (TOG) 2 3 3 4 5 2 2 1 2 9
 Tonga (TGA) 2 4 2 2 2 2 2 7
 Trinidad and Tobago (TTO) 3 3 6 8 10 10 9 11 3 5 6 15 14 23 20 15
 Tunisia (TUN) 11 6 3 4 2 2 1 6 9 3 4 5 12
 Turkey (TUR) 2 4 5 13 13 13 4 4 3 2 5 4 2 3 5 13 15 31 18
 Turkmenistan (TKM) 1 2 2 2 2 5
 Tuvalu (TUV) 2 2 2
 Uganda (UGA) 3 4 8 3 8 6 10 13 4 4 5 4 7 11 14
 Ukraine (UKR) 43 54 50 66 73 5
 Unified Team (EUN) 99 1
 United Team of Germany (EUA) 43 90 97 3
 United Arab Emirates (UAE) 7 4 1 1 1 1 2 7
 United Arab Republic (UAR) 2 1
 United States (USA) 10 41 86 84 109 90 96 98 82 77 76 71 81 81 86 91 95 92 110 114 117 121 116 116 121 125 128 128 28
 Uruguay (URU) 5 2 1 1 3 2 1 1 2 2 4 3 3 2 14
 Uzbekistan (UZB) 12 22 10 12 13 5
 Vanuatu (VAN) 3 6 4 2 2 2 2 7
 Venezuela (VEN) 7 4 7 6 6 10 1 1 3 4 6 5 4 12 14
 Vietnam (VIE) 7 2 4 2 2 2 2 2 8
 Virgin Islands (ISV) 2 1 3 4 7 10 7 3 2 2 4 11
 West Germany (FRG) 67 87 54 58 47 5
 Yemen (YEM) 3 3 2 1 2 2 6
 Yugoslavia (YUG) 5 4 1 21 15 19 7 22 9 8 16 13 14 6 10 15
 Zambia (ZAM) 5 3 7 9 4 4 4 4 4 2 2 3 12
 Zimbabwe (ZIM) 3 4 6 7 7 6 8 6 7 3 10
No. of nations 10 15 10 20 27 25 40 40 34 43 53 57 59 72 80 92 104 79 70 124 148 156 190 193 196 200 201
Year 96 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20

Medal table

Updated after the 2020 Summer Olympics, considering stripped medals and reallocated medals as of May 2023.

Sources:

Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1  United States (USA) 344 269 214 827
2  Soviet Union (URS) 64 55 74 193
3  Great Britain (GBR) 55 83 72 210
4  Finland (FIN) 48 36 30 114
5  East Germany (GDR) 38 36 35 109
6  Kenya (KEN) 34 41 31 106
7  Poland (POL) 29 20 17 66
8  Jamaica (JAM) 26 36 25 87
9  Italy (ITA) 24 15 26 65
10  Ethiopia (ETH) 23 12 23 58
11  Australia (AUS) 21 27 28 76
12  Sweden (SWE) 20 23 41 84
13  Germany (GER) 19 28 36 83
14  Russia (RUS) 18 21 19 58
15  Canada (CAN) 16 18 32 66
16  France (FRA) 13 27 30 70
17  West Germany (FRG) 12 14 17 43
18  Cuba (CUB) 11 14 20 45
19  Romania (ROU) 11 14 10 35
20  China (CHN) 11 12 16 39
21  Czechoslovakia (TCH) 11 8 5 24
22  Hungary (HUN) 10 12 18 40
23  New Zealand (NZL) 10 3 13 26
24  South Africa (RSA) 9 13 6 28
25  Greece (GRE) 8 12 10 30
26  Netherlands (NED) 8 7 9 24
27  Norway (NOR) 8 7 8 23
28  Unified Team (EUN) 7 11 3 21
29  Japan (JPN) 7 10 10 27
30  Morocco (MAR) 7 5 8 20
31  Bahamas (BAH) 7 2 5 14
32  Belgium (BEL) 6 5 3 14
33  Bulgaria (BUL) 5 8 6 19
34  Brazil (BRA) 5 3 11 19
35  Czech Republic (CZE) 5 3 7 15
36  Portugal (POR) 5 3 4 12
37  United Team of Germany (EUA) 4 18 8 30
38  Algeria (ALG) 4 3 2 9
39  Ireland (IRL) 4 2 1 7
40  Uganda (UGA) 4 1 2 7
41  Mexico (MEX) 3 6 2 11
42  Spain (ESP) 3 5 8 16
43  Belarus (BLR) 3 5 7 15
44  Trinidad and Tobago (TTO) 3 4 8 15
45  Lithuania (LTU) 3 1 2 6
46  Croatia (CRO) 3 1 1 5
47  Nigeria (NGR) 2 5 7 14
48  Ukraine (UKR) 2 3 13 18
49  Argentina (ARG) 2 3 0 5
 Dominican Republic (DOM) 2 3 0 5
51  Tunisia (TUN) 2 2 1 5
52  Bahrain (BRN) 2 2 0 4
53  Estonia (EST) 2 1 3 6
54  Kazakhstan (KAZ) 2 1 2 5
55  Cameroon (CMR) 2 0 0 2
 Luxembourg (LUX) 2 0 0 2
57  Colombia (COL) 1 3 1 5
58  Austria (AUT) 1 2 5 8
59  Qatar (QAT) 1 2 1 4
 Slovenia (SLO) 1 2 1 4
61  India (IND) 1 2 0 3
62  Grenada (GRN) 1 1 1 3
 Venezuela (VEN) 1 1 1 3
64  Burundi (BDI) 1 1 0 2
 Ecuador (ECU) 1 1 0 2
 Mixed team (ZZX) 1 1 0 2
 ROC 1 1 0 2
 South Korea (KOR) 1 1 0 2
69  Panama (PAN) 1 0 2 3
70  Mozambique (MOZ) 1 0 1 2
 Puerto Rico (PUR) 1 0 1 2
72  Slovakia (SVK) 1 0 0 1
 Syria (SYR) 1 0 0 1
 Tajikistan (TJK) 1 0 0 1
75  Switzerland (SUI) 0 6 2 8
76  Namibia (NAM) 0 5 0 5
77  Denmark (DEN) 0 4 3 7
78  Latvia (LAT) 0 4 1 5
79  Chile (CHI) 0 2 0 2
 Sri Lanka (SRI) 0 2 0 2
 Tanzania (TAN) 0 2 0 2
 Yugoslavia (YUG) 0 2 0 2
83  Botswana (BOT) 0 1 1 2
 Chinese Taipei (TPE) 0 1 1 2
 Iceland (ISL) 0 1 1 2
86  Bohemia (BOH) 0 1 0 1
 Guatemala (GUA) 0 1 0 1
 Haiti (HAI) 0 1 0 1
 Iran (IRI) 0 1 0 1
 Ivory Coast (CIV) 0 1 0 1
 Saudi Arabia (KSA) 0 1 0 1
 Senegal (SEN) 0 1 0 1
 Sudan (SUD) 0 1 0 1
 Zambia (ZAM) 0 1 0 1
95  British West Indies (BWI) 0 0 2 2
 Philippines (PHI) 0 0 2 2
 Turkey (TUR) 0 0 2 2
98  Australasia (ANZ) 0 0 1 1
 Barbados (BAR) 0 0 1 1
 Burkina Faso (BUR) 0 0 1 1
 Djibouti (DJI) 0 0 1 1
 Eritrea (ERI) 0 0 1 1
 Serbia (SRB) 0 0 1 1
Totals (103 entries) 1,027 1,036 1,024 3,087

Related pages

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Atletismo en los Juegos Olímpicos para niños

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