United States at the Olympics facts for kids

Quick facts for kids United States at the Olympics
Flag of the United States
IOC code	USA
NOC	United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee
Medals Ranked 1st	Gold Silver Bronze Total 1,219 1,000 875 3,094
Summer appearances
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
Winter appearances
1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018
Other related appearances
1906 Intercalated Games

The USA has sent amazing athletes to almost every modern Olympic Games. They only missed the 1980 Summer Olympics because they led a boycott. This was to protest the Soviet Union's actions in Afghanistan. The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) helps American athletes get ready for the Olympics.

American athletes have won more medals than any other country in Olympic history. They have earned 2,764 medals in total. This includes 1,105 gold medals at the Summer Olympic Games. They also won 330 medals, with 114 gold, at the Winter Olympic Games. The USA has finished first in the Summer Olympic medal count 19 times. This is out of 30 Summer Olympics they have been in. They have not been as successful in the Winter Olympics. They have only placed first once in 24 Winter Games.

The United States is one of the few big teams that does not get money from its government.

USA as an Olympic Host

Swimmer Michael Phelps and President George W. Bush in Beijing in 2008. Phelps is the most decorated Olympic athlete ever.

Dara Torres is a famous American swimmer. She is known for winning many medals. She also competed at an older age than most swimmers.

The United States has hosted the modern Olympic Games eight times. This is more than any other country. These games include the 1904 St. Louis Olympics and the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. The USA has also helped the Olympics grow. They have improved sports facilities and technology. They also share Olympic values.

For example, the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics used electronic timing for the first time. The 1984 Los Angeles Olympics set new standards for opening and closing ceremonies. Even when not hosting, the USA helps promote the Olympics. Groups like the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) play a big part. Hosting the Olympics helps cities a lot. It improves roads and buildings. It also brings money and tourists. For instance, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics helped improve parts of the city. Many sports venues from that time are still used today.

Los Angeles will host the Summer Olympics again in 2028. This will be the ninth time the USA hosts the Games.

Olympic Medal Wins by the USA

Francis Olympic Field at Washington University in St. Louis. This was the site of the 1904 Summer Olympics. These were the first Olympic Games held outside Europe.

The United States first competed in the Olympics in 1896. This was the very first modern games in Athens. The USA did not always perform the same way before World War I. This was because they sent fewer athletes than host countries. However, at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, the USA won the most medals ever. This record still stands today.

During the years between the World Wars, the USA was very successful. They topped the gold and total medal counts at four Summer Games in a row. But they did not win as much at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. The next Summer Olympics were in 1948 after World War II.

In 1952, the Soviet Union joined the Olympics. They had a government-funded sports program. This program aimed to show their country was better. The Soviet Union's quick rise made people wonder how they did it. Some thought their athletes were not truly amateurs. There were also claims of government-sponsored doping. After 20 years, the USSR won the most gold medals at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. The USA did not top the medal table again in a non-boycotted game until the 1996 Summer Olympics. This was five years after the USSR collapsed.

A great moment for the USA was the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The USA won a record 83 gold medals. This was helped by the Soviet-led boycott. Since the 1990s, the International Olympic Committee has worked for more gender equality. This helped the USA's performance. The USA has topped the Summer Olympics medal table six times since 1992. They also placed second twice.

For a long time, the USA was not strong in the Winter Games. This changed at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Hosting the games in 2002 helped the USA's winter sports. Since then, US athletes have done very well. They have never placed below fourth in the medal count. The USA won the most medals (37) at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. But they won fewer medals (23) at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

Summer Games Medals       Host country Games Athletes Gold Silver Bronze Total Gold medals Total medals 1896 Athens 14 11 7 2 20 1 2 1900 Paris 75 19 14 15 48 2 2 1904 St. Louis 526 76 78 77 231 1 1 1908 London 122 23 12 12 47 2 2 1912 Stockholm 174 26 19 19 64 1 2 1920 Antwerp 288 41 27 27 95 1 1 1924 Paris 299 45 27 27 99 1 1 1928 Amsterdam 280 22 18 16 56 1 1 1932 Los Angeles 474 44 36 30 110 1 1 1936 Berlin 359 24 21 12 57 2 2 1948 London 300 38 27 19 84 1 1 1952 Helsinki 286 40 19 17 76 1 1 1956 Melbourne 297 32 25 17 74 2 2 1960 Rome 292 34 21 16 71 2 2 1964 Tokyo 346 36 26 28 90 1 2 1968 Mexico City 357 45 28 34 107 1 1 1972 Munich 400 33 31 30 94 2 2 1976 Montreal 396 34 35 25 94 3 2 1980 Moscow Did not participate 1984 Los Angeles 522 83 61 30 174 1 1 1988 Seoul 527 36 31 27 94 3 3 1992 Barcelona 545 37 34 37 108 2 2 1996 Atlanta 646 44 32 25 101 1 1 2000 Sydney 586 37 24 32 93 1 1 2004 Athens 533 36 39 26 101 1 1 2008 Beijing 588 36 39 37 112 2 1 2012 London 530 48 26 30 104 1 1 2016 Rio de Janeiro 554 46 37 38 121 1 1 2020 Tokyo 615 39 41 33 113 1 1 2024 Paris 592 40 44 42 126 1 1 2028 Los Angeles Future event Future event Total 1105 879 780 2764 1 1

Winter Games Medals       Host country Games Athletes Gold Silver Bronze Total Gold medals Total medals 1924 Chamonix 24 1 2 1 4 5 3 1928 St. Moritz 24 2 2 2 6 2 2 1932 Lake Placid 64 6 4 2 12 1 1 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen 55 1 0 3 4 8 6 1948 St. Moritz 69 3 4 2 9 4 4 1952 Oslo 65 4 6 1 11 2 2 1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo 67 2 3 2 7 6 5 1960 Squaw Valley 79 3 4 3 10 3 2 1964 Innsbruck 89 1 2 4 7 8 8 1968 Grenoble 95 1 5 1 7 9 8 1972 Sapporo 103 3 2 3 8 5 6 1976 Innsbruck 106 3 3 4 10 3 3 1980 Lake Placid 101 6 4 2 12 3 3 1984 Sarajevo 107 4 4 0 8 3 4 1988 Calgary 118 2 1 3 6 9 9 1992 Albertville 147 5 4 2 11 5 6 1994 Lillehammer 147 6 5 2 13 5 5 1998 Nagano 186 6 3 4 13 5 6 2002 Salt Lake City 202 10 13 11 34 3 2 2006 Turin 204 9 9 7 25 2 2 2010 Vancouver 212 9 15 13 37 3 1 2014 Sochi 222 9 9 10 28 4 2 2018 Pyeongchang 228 9 8 6 23 4 4 2022 Beijing 220 9 9 7 25 3 4 2026 Milan/Cortina Future event Future event Future event Total 114 121 95 330 2 2

USA Olympic Flagbearers

Summer Olympics Games Athlete Sport 1908 London Ralph Rose Athletics 1912 Stockholm George Bonhag Athletics 1920 Antwerp Pat McDonald Athletics 1924 Paris Pat McDonald Athletics 1928 Amsterdam Bud Houser Athletics 1932 Los Angeles Morgan Taylor Athletics 1936 Berlin Al Jochim Gymnastics 1948 London Ralph Craig Sailing 1952 Helsinki Norman Armitage Fencing 1956 Melbourne Norman Armitage Fencing 1960 Rome Rafer Johnson Athletics 1964 Tokyo Parry O'Brien Athletics 1968 Mexico City Janice Romary Fencing 1972 Munich Olga Fikotová Athletics 1976 Montreal Gary Hall, Sr. Swimming 1980 Moscow Did not participate 1984 Los Angeles Ed Burke Athletics 1988 Seoul Evelyn Ashford Athletics 1992 Barcelona Francie Larrieu Smith Athletics 1996 Atlanta Bruce Baumgartner Wrestling 2000 Sydney Cliff Meidl Canoeing 2004 Athens Dawn Staley Basketball 2008 Beijing Lopez Lomong Athletics 2012 London Mariel Zagunis Fencing 2016 Rio de Janeiro Michael Phelps Swimming 2020 Tokyo Eddy Alvarez Baseball Sue Bird Basketball 2024 Paris LeBron James Basketball Coco Gauff Tennis

Winter Olympics Games Athlete Sport 1924 Chamonix Clarence Abel Ice hockey 1928 St. Moritz Godfrey Dewey Cross-country skiing (team manager) 1932 Lake Placid Billy Fiske Bobsleigh 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Rolf Monsen Cross-country skiing 1948 St. Moritz Jack Heaton Skeleton & Bobsleigh 1952 Oslo Jim Bickford Bobsleigh 1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo Jim Bickford Bobsleigh 1960 Squaw Valley Don McDermott Speed skating 1964 Innsbruck Bill Disney Speed skating 1968 Grenoble Terry McDermott Speed skating 1972 Sapporo Dianne Holum Speed skating 1976 Innsbruck Cindy Nelson Alpine skiing 1980 Lake Placid Scott Hamilton Figure skating 1984 Sarajevo Frank Masley Luge 1988 Calgary Lyle Nelson Biathlon 1992 Albertville Bill Koch Cross-country skiing 1994 Lillehammer Cammy Myler Luge 1998 Nagano Eric Flaim Speed Skating 2002 Salt Lake City Amy Peterson Short track speed skating 2006 Turin Chris Witty Speed skating 2010 Vancouver Mark Grimmette Luge 2014 Sochi Todd Lodwick Nordic combined 2018 Pyeongchang Erin Hamlin Luge 2022 Beijing Brittany Bowe Speed Skating John Shuster Curling

USA Olympic History

Early Olympic Games (1896–1912)

Some members of America's first Olympic team in 1896.

The first modern Olympic Games were in Athens, Greece. The American team had 14 athletes in three sports. Greece, the host, had 169 athletes and won 46 medals. The USA won 20 medals, but they won 11 gold medals. This was more than Greece's 10 golds. So, Team USA finished first in gold medals. James Brendan Connolly was the first modern Olympic champion. He won the triple jump. Thomas Burke won three gold medals in track events. He was the most successful athlete of the 1896 Games. Robert Garrett won two gold medals in discus and shot put. This showed American strength in athletics.

Margaret Abbott playing golf. She was the first American woman to win an Olympic event.

At the 1900 Paris Olympics, the USA team grew to 75 athletes. This was still much less than France's 720 athletes. The most famous American was Margaret Abbott. She became the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal. She won the women's golf event. Most American medals came from athletics. US athletes won 16 golds and 39 medals there. Alvin Kraenzlein won four gold medals in track and field. Ray Ewry won three gold medals in standing jumps. Walter Tewksbury won two gold medals and one silver. Team USA won only 8 medals outside of athletics. Four of these were in golf. France won the most medals overall. The USA was second, showing great skill with fewer athletes.

Jim Thorpe was a Native American athlete. He broke barriers in sports.

The 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri, were the first Olympics outside Europe. American athletes did very well in athletics. They won many gold medals. Famous athletes included Archie Hahn, who won three sprint golds. James Lightbody won three middle-distance golds. Ray Ewry won three standing jump golds. Harry Hillman also won multiple track and field golds. The games happened at the same time as a big world's fair.

Team USA continued to be strong in track and field. At the 1908 London Olympics, Ray Ewry won three more standing jump golds. John Taylor won gold in the 400m. Mel Sheppard won gold in the 800m and 1500m. These athletes helped the USA succeed in athletics. A famous moment was in the marathon. Italian runner Dorando Pietri collapsed near the finish line. Officials helped him, but he was disqualified. American Johnny Hayes then won the gold medal.

At the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, American athletes still led in track and field. Jim Thorpe, a Native American athlete, made history. He won gold medals in both the pentathlon and decathlon. This made him a famous Olympic figure. Later, his medals were taken away because he played semi-professional baseball. This was against the rules for amateur athletes. His medals were given back in 1983. In 2022, he was fully recognized as the sole winner. Ralph Craig won gold in the 100 and 200 meters. This showed American strength in sprints. American swimmers also did well. Duke Kahanamoku won two swimming gold medals.

Between the World Wars (1920–1936)

Duke Kahanamoku was a Hawaiian swimmer. He won many gold medals in 1920. He helped make swimming popular.

Many famous American athletes competed in the 1920 Olympics. These included swimmer Duke Kahanamoku and decathlete Jim Thorpe. Thorpe won gold medals in both the pentathlon and decathlon. This showed his amazing athletic skills. The 1920 Antwerp Olympics was special for American swimming. Ethelda Bleibtrey became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in swimming. The American basketball team also won gold. They beat Belgium in the final.

Harold Osborn won gold in the decathlon at the 1924 Paris Olympics. He set a world record.

In 1924, at the Paris Olympics, Harold Osborn set a new world record. He won gold in the decathlon. Sprinter and long jumper Charley Paddock won two gold medals. He won the 100 meters and the 4x100 meters relay. Johnny Weissmuller, who later played Tarzan in movies, won two gold medals in swimming at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. The USA was very good at diving. Aileen Riggin won gold in women's 3-meter springboard diving. She was the first American woman to win an Olympic diving gold. The American men's basketball team kept winning. They took gold for the third time in a row.

The 1932 Los Angeles Olympics was the first to have outdoor diving events. Track and field was still a strong sport for Team USA. Babe Didrikson had amazing achievements. The United States won the most gold and total medals at these four Games. This showed they were a top sports country. American swimmers continued to excel. Helene Madison won three gold medals in women's freestyle swimming. The USA also did well in team sports. They won gold in basketball and baseball. They also won many medals in rowing. The 1932 Olympics happened during the Great Depression. The success of American athletes gave hope to the nation. The games also showed Los Angeles could host big international events.

Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics.

In 1936, Jesse Owens became world famous at the Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. Owens won four gold medals. He won the 100 meters, long jump, 200 meters, and 4x100-meter relay. His wins showed that the Nazi idea of racial superiority was wrong. However, the USA ranked second in medals for the first time since 1908. The host country, Germany, won more medals. The USA men's basketball team won the gold medal. They continued their strong performance in the sport.

Cold War Era (1948–1992)

Bob Mathias was a star at the 1948 London games. He won the decathlon at age 17. He won again at the 1952 Olympics.

The 1948 London Olympics were the first for new communist countries. These countries were controlled by the Soviet Union after World War II. The Soviets did not compete themselves. They sent observers instead. Their leader, Joseph Stalin, wanted to be sure they would beat the USA. His sports officials said it was 50/50, so he decided not to send a team in 1948. With no Soviet team, the USA easily won the games. They got 38 gold and 84 total medals. This was 22 gold and 40 total medals more than Sweden, who was second. Most medals were in track and field (27) and swimming (15). The US basketball team won its second gold medal. They beat France 65–21 in the final. The 1948 London Olympics were the first to be shown on television more widely. But not many people had TVs yet.

The gold medal basketball game at the 1952 Olympics. The US beat the USSR, 36–25.

In 1952, in Helsinki, the Soviets sent a team for the first time. This started a new time where the Soviet Union would be very strong in the Olympics. The Soviet government paid their athletes. These athletes trained full-time. The United States still won the most medals at these games. They got 40 gold and 76 total medals. This was more than the Soviets, who were second. American athletes won 31 medals in track and field. This was their best sport. The U.S. basketball team won its third gold medal. They beat the Soviets twice. American boxers won all five finals they entered. American weightlifters won four gold medals, beating the Soviets. The two countries won all seven weightlifting events.

Bobby Morrow won three gold medals in track and field at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne.

Melbourne hosted the Olympics in 1956. Some people wanted the Soviet Union removed because they had acted against Hungary. But the International Olympic Committee did not do this. So, some countries boycotted the games. The Hungarian water polo team had a famous fight with the Soviets. This was called "Blood in the Water". The USA did well at the games. They won 32 gold and 78 total medals. This put them in second place. They won 5 gold and 24 total medals less than the Soviets. The USA was very strong in track and field, with 31 medals. But they only won 2 golds in swimming. Australia was too strong in swimming. In weightlifting, the USA and Soviets won all seven events again. The USA got four golds. In boxing, the Soviets won 3 golds, and the USA won two. But the USSR was best in gymnastics. They won 11 of 17 events. This helped them get first place overall. The U.S. basketball team won its fourth gold medal. They beat the Soviets 89–55. The 1956 Melbourne Olympics were the first to be shown live by satellite. This let people around the world watch the events.

Wilma Rudolph was the first woman to win the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 4x100 meters relay at the 1960 Rome Games.

The 1960 Rome Olympics saw the Americans struggle in their usual strong sports. These included track and field and weightlifting. But boxing, swimming, and wrestling had surprisingly good results. In track and field, the USA won 12 golds. Their men's 4x100 relay team was disqualified in a controversial decision. In weightlifting, the Soviets won five of seven events. The USA only got one gold. The U.S. basketball team won its fifth gold medal. The USA won 34 gold and 71 total medals. The USSR won 43 gold and 103 total medals. This showed the USA was no longer the top Olympic power. The 1960 Rome Olympics were the first to be shown widely on CBS in the United States.

Don Schollander won 4 golds in swimming at the 1964 games in Tokyo. This was the most individual medals since Jesse Owens in 1936.

The USA did better at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. They were back at the top of the gold medal count for the first time since 1952. The U.S. swimming team was very successful. They won 13 of 18 available golds. They also broke 9 world records. In track and field, the Americans also improved. They won 14 gold and 24 total medals. The Soviets continued to be strong in weightlifting. The USSR won four golds. But for the Americans, the 1964 Olympics were a success. They won 36 gold and 90 total medals. The Soviets won 30 gold and 96 total medals. The USA won the most gold medals. The USSR won the most total medals. The U.S. basketball team won its sixth gold medal. They beat the USSR 73–59.

Bob Beamon made history at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. He broke the world record in the long jump by a huge amount.

The 1968 Mexico Olympics were the most successful Summer Games for the USA after the war. American athletes won 45 gold and 107 total medals. The U.S. swimming team was amazing. They won 51 medals. They won all three medals in five events. They also won a medal in every swimming event. The U.S. track and field team won 15 gold and 28 total medals. Swimming and athletics gave the USA over 70% of its medals. This helped them get first place in the medal table. It was their first time topping the overall medal table since 1952. In other sports, American athletes did not do as well. The U.S. weightlifting team only won one medal. American boxers won 7 medals, with two golds. U.S. divers won 6 medals. The men's volleyball team beat the Soviet champions. But they did not win a medal. The U.S. basketball team won its seventh gold medal. No other Olympic team in ball sports has done this. This was the last time the USA finished first in a fully attended Summer Olympics until 1996. The 1968 Grenoble Winter Olympics were the first to be shown in color.

Peggy Fleming was an American figure skater. She was the only U.S. athlete to win a gold medal at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France.

The Munich Olympics were sadly affected by a terrible event. Eleven Israeli athletes and coaches were killed by terrorists. There were calls to stop the games, but the IOC decided not to. From a sports view, these games were very controversial for American athletes. U.S. world record holders in the 100 meters missed their race. They were given the wrong start time. In swimming, a U.S. gold medalist lost his medal. He used his asthma medicine, which was banned. This also stopped him from winning more medals. U.S. boxers felt they were judged unfairly against communist opponents. In shooting, a U.S. athlete won gold but was moved to silver after a review.

The most controversial event was the U.S. basketball team final. They seemed to win against the Soviet Union. But the last three seconds were replayed three times. The Soviets then won. The Americans refused their silver medals. They felt they were cheated. This was the first time the USA lost in Olympic basketball. It ended their 63-game winning streak. Overall, the U.S. team did not do as well. They won only 6 gold medals in track and field. East Germany won 8, and the Soviets won 9. But the Americans still won the most total medals (22). In boxing, Cuba and the Soviets won most golds. The USA won only one gold. In diving, Americans won three medals. In wrestling, the U.S. team surprised with three freestyle golds. In water polo, the Americans won bronze. Swimming was the only sport where the American team did great. They won 17 gold and 43 total medals. American women were very strong in swimming for the last time until 1992.

In 1976, Margaret Murdock won silver in the three positions shooting event. She was the first woman to win an Olympic medal in shooting.

The Eastern Bloc countries were very strong at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Seven of them were in the top ten for medals. The United States team finished third for the first time. This Olympics had big differences. The U.S. men's swimming team was amazing. They won 12 gold and 27 total medals out of 13 events. They broke 11 world records. But the US women's swimming team faced a big challenge. It was later found that East German athletes were using banned substances. Still, the American women won one gold medal. They upset the East Germans in the 4x100 freestyle relay. This win was a huge surprise. In track and field, East Germany won many medals. This helped the USSR win the most medals overall. The U.S. boxing team did very well. They reached six gold medal fights and won five. This was like their great team in 1952. These boxers were younger and less experienced. In other sports, U.S. divers won five medals, including two golds. The U.S. equestrian team won four medals. American shooters won three medals. A woman won a historic silver in mixed rifle shooting. U.S. freestyle wrestlers won one gold and six medals overall. The U.S. men's basketball team won gold again. The women's team won a surprising silver. The Soviets and East Germans were very strong in many sports. They finished first and second in medals. The U.S. won medals in 14 sports. They finished third with 34 gold and 94 total medals. July 31 was the best day for Americans. They won 8 gold and 18 total medals.

The 1980 Summer Olympics were different for the United States. The USA led the biggest boycott in Olympic history. This was because the Soviet Union had acted against Afghanistan. The United States and 65 other countries did not go to the Moscow Games. This made it the smallest Olympics since 1956. As expected, the host country and East Germany won almost all the medals. This was the most unbalanced medal count since 1904. The Soviets won 80 gold medals, a record. They also won 195 total medals, their second-best ever.

President Ronald Reagan and Mary Lou Retton with the U.S. Olympic Team in Los Angeles, 1984. Retton won gold after recovering from surgery.

In 1984, Los Angeles hosted the Games. The Soviets and their allies boycotted in return. They said they were worried about safety. But no threats were found. Romania, an Eastern Bloc country, did attend. Their athletes had no problems. They were cheered loudly at the Opening Ceremonies. Romania even finished second in the medal table. Despite the Soviet boycott, a record 140 nations attended. This included China, who joined for the first time since 1952. The 1984 Los Angeles Olympics were the first to be shown on many TV channels at once. This gave viewers more choices.

Shannon Miller is one of the greatest American gymnasts. Her Olympic achievements are legendary.

Some people worried the Soviet Union would boycott the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. This was because South Korea and the USSR did not have good relations. But new policies by Gorbachev led to Soviet participation. Cuba decided to boycott on its own. This affected the boxing events. The Soviets and East Germany were very strong in what would be their last Olympics. They won 55 and 37 gold medals. The United States finished third with 36 gold and 94 total medals. 1976 and 1988 are the only times America was not in the top two at the Summer Olympics.

Recent Olympic Games (1994–Present)

Amy Van Dyken is one of the greatest American swimmers. She had a historic performance at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

American athletes have been in every Summer Olympics recently. Their results have gotten better since 1992. America was second in medals in 1992 and 2008. But they finished first at seven other Games during this time.

Jennie Finch signing autographs. She was a famous player on the strong U.S. softball team. She helped Team USA win a gold medal in 2004.

The United States, through the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. These Games were moved to 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The opening ceremony flag-bearers were baseball player Eddy Alvarez and basketball player Sue Bird. Javelin thrower Kara Winger was the flag-bearer for the closing ceremony.

When Simone Biles did not compete in the gymnastics all-around final, her teammates stepped up. The U.S. had won this event five times in a row. Sunisa Lee performed wonderfully and won the gold medal. She became the first Hmong American gymnast to win Olympic gold. She was also the first gymnast of Asian descent to do so. Lee won three medals in Tokyo: a silver in the team final and a bronze in uneven bars. Lydia Jacoby, a teen swimmer from Alaska, made history. She was the first Alaskan swimmer on the U.S. Olympic team. She surprised everyone by winning gold in the women's 100m breaststroke. Golfer Nelly Korda won gold in the women's golf. She followed her teammate Xander Schauffele who also won gold. Shot putter Ryan Crouser won his Olympic title again. He set a new Olympic record three times. The U.S. won the most medals overall, with 113. They barely beat China for gold medals on the last day, with 39 golds to China's 38.

Katie Ledecky accepts an award. She has won many gold medals in swimming from 2012 to 2020.

At the 2022 Winter Olympics, the U.S. did a diplomatic boycott. This meant they did not send high-level officials. This was due to human rights concerns. But athletes were still allowed to compete. The USA won 25 medals. This was two more than in 2018. But it was less than the 37 medals in 2010 and 28 in 2014.

Some big successes included Jessie Diggins. She was the first American woman to win individual cross-country medals. Figure skater Nathan Chen broke a world record. He won Olympic gold in men’s singles. Erin Jackson was the first black woman to win speed skating gold. Chloe Kim won her title again in snowboarding halfpipe. Veteran snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis won two gold medals. She won the women's snowboard cross. She also won with teammate Nick Baumgartner in the mixed snowboard cross.

Amateur and Professional Athletes

U.S. President George W. Bush visits Misty May-Treanor (left) and Kerri Walsh Jennings (right) at the 2008 Olympics. They were the first beach volleyball team to win three straight Olympic golds.

The rule against professional athletes caused problems in Olympic history. Jim Thorpe, a champion in 1912, lost his medals. It was found he played semi-professional baseball. His medals were given back after he passed away in 1983.

Countries in the Eastern Bloc had "full-time amateur athletes." These athletes were paid by their governments to train. This put Western athletes, who paid for themselves, at a disadvantage. The Olympics changed this rule. They started allowing professional athletes in the 1990s. This happened after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Prize Money for Athletes

When a U.S. athlete wins an Olympic medal, they get money from the USOPC. As of 2016, a gold medal earned $25,000. Silver was $15,000, and bronze was $10,000. In 2017, these amounts increased by 25%. Gold became $37,000, silver $22,500, and bronze $15,000. These amounts are lower than in some other countries. Some countries pay up to $1 million for a gold medal. Since 2018, Paralympic athletes get the same prize money as Olympians.

Images for kids

See also

In Spanish: Estados Unidos en los Juegos Olímpicos para niños

• List of United States Olympic medalists
• United States at the Paralympics
• United States at the Summer Olympics
• United States at the Winter Olympics
• United States at the Pan American Games
• Four territories of the United States send independent Olympic teams (American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands)