Michael Phelps and Alexander Dityatin (8 each).
Gaétan Boucher, a Canadian legend, in my opinion :) He won 2 of his gold medals in a single olympics game (1984 I am 95% sure)
Michael Phelps for The United States! he won 8 gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Larissa Latynina (USSR) has won the most number of medals in the Olympic Games with an incredible tally of 18 medals (9 gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze).Micheal Phelps (USA) has won the most medals by a male athlete with 16 (14 gold and 2 silver) and he has won the most Olympic Gold Medals with 14.
Michael Phelps
Through the 2008 Games in Beijing, that is Ian Thorpe with 5 gold medals. Murray Rose is next with 4.
Michael Phelps of the US has the most olympic gold medals (14 total in 2004 and 2008) and the most medals by a male athlete (16 including his 2 bronze medals).
Prior to the start of the 2012 games, the most total medals won by a single athlete is 18 by Soviet gymnast Larisa Latyninawho competed in 1956, 1960, and 1964.The most held by a male athlete is 16 by Michael Phelpsof the US, who has 14 gold and 2 bronze. The 14 gold (2004 and 2008) are also the most by any Olympic athlete. 10 of his medals are in individual events and 6 in team competition.The male athlete with the most individual medals is Soviet gymnast Nicolai Andrianov with 12 medals, including 6 gold, between 1972 and 1980.
Skateboarding isn't in the Olympics
11 by alfredo cervantes
LARISSA LATYNINA has more Olympic medals than anyone in history, male or female, in any sport. She holds the record for winning the most Olympic medals at 18 (nine gold medals, five silver and four bronze). She is the only female athlete to win nine Olympic gold medals. She also holds the record for most individual medals (14 outside of team events) in Olympic history.
The "most decorated" male gymnasts of all time are:1. Nikolai Andrianov (Soviet Union/Russia) - 15 Olympic medals/7 gold (second most decorated male Olympican after swimmer Michael Phelps); 12 World Championship medals; 1976 Olympic AA champion; 1978 World AA champion2. Boris Shakhlin (Soviet Union/Ukraine) - 13 Olympic medals/7 gold; 14 World Championship medals; 1960 Olympic AA champion; 1958 World AA champion3. Sawao Kato (Japan) - 12 Olympic medals/8 gold; 3-time (1968, 1972, 1976) Olympic AA champion (most all time)4. Alexander Dityatin (Soviet Union/Russia) - 10 Olympic medals/3 gold; 12 World Championship medals; 1980 Olympic AA champion; 1979 World AA champion
Taking all international athletes into consideration, the one with the most Olympic medals overall is a Russian-Ukranian, Larissa Latynina. A former Soviet gymnast, she won more Olympic medals than anyone in history, male or female, in any sport. She won 18 medals; nine gold medals, five silver and four bronze.