TAKE A look at our list of some notable athletes in the last Olympics and discover why it takes more than a gold medal to fulfill the official motto of London 2012: inspire a generation.
Michael Phelps
Sport: Swimming
Nationality: American
Olympic Medal Count:
Gold: 18 | Silver: 2 | Bronze: 2
Aside from being the most decorated Olympian in London 2012 and of all time, Phelps’ record of eighteen gold medals is actually twice that of the next highest record holders. Four golds and two silvers capped his recently concluded swimming career in this year’s Games. He also holds the world record for long course 100- and 200-meter butterfly and 400-meter individual medley.
Usain Bolt
Sport: Athletics
Nationality: Jamaican
Olympic Medal Count:
Gold: 6 |Silver: 0 | Bronze: 0
There is no question why Bolt is thought to be the fastest person in the world. Being the first man ever to hold both 100- and 200-meter sprint world records was not enough. This year, Bolt also ran away with the world record for 4×100-meter relay with his teammates. He is also a double-triple holder of gold for those three events on both the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 in London, earning him the eponymous moniker “Lightning Bolt.”
Alex Morgan
Sport: Football
Nationality: American
Olympic Medal Count:
Gold: 1 | Silver: 0 | Bronze: 0
In London 2012, Morgan scored two goals against France and the winning goal against Canada, along with assists on a goal against Colombia, North Korea, New Zealand, and Japan. She earned her well-deserved gold medal with a total of three goals and a team-high of four assists throughout the tournament, proving that no team is too big for one to standout.
Shin A-Lam
Sport: Fencing – Women’s Epee
Nationality: South Korean
Olympic Medal Count:
Gold: 0 | Silver: 1 | Bronze: 0
A split second of 0.02 was all it took to deprive Shin A-Lam’s chance for a gold. During the semifinals of women’s individual epee, the timekeeper had reset the clock by error and left out the last split second of the one-minute overtime. A full second more was allotted but this was enough for opponent Britta Heidemann to break the 5-5 tie and make the win. Shin stood for over an hour on the piste while judges deliberated her loss, but was still overruled. Five days later she won silver in women’s team epee.
