What country has the most gold silver and bronze medals in Olympic history?

Answer 1

Statement: The United States currently has the most Gold medals in Olympic history. I'm not sure about silver and bronze though. Hope this helped!

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REPLY: No, it was not the purpose of my question. I don't know if anyone is asking it as surely one would think there are others besides me who wonder what, if any, "point system" might be used traditionally to assign meritorious value to gold, silver and bronze.

And I'm not talking about the value of the metal content. There are many answers for that question.

I'm talking about finding out if there is a means of comparison for example, when one country such as my country Canada earns the most gold medals (as we just did) but not the highest number of total medals in the games. I would think what might be fair is to say a gold is worth 3 points, a silver, 2, and a bronze - 1 point.

Or it might be argued that is too much differential, so ok - the Olympic Committee could officially announce that they have determined that the ratios should be closer to one another, such as 4-3-2, or 5-4-3. In any case, it would be a way for us all to know which country did the best overall in any given Olympic.

As it stands right now, our one national TV network, CTV, keeps reporting only one way of ranking - that being total number of medals. I'm told that traditionally however, in past Olympics (until perhaps some recent date) the country winning the most GOLD medals was considered the number one ranking for their athletes.

That makes more sense to me, but if others might argue that it is a bit unfair because it ignores equating into the mix a credit for the good efforts/talents of winners of silver and bronze medals, considering some participants drop down one notch simply over margins as small as a thousandth of a second.

I write this on the second last day of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, with only 2 more medals up for grabs tomorrow, the closing day. By then, our hockey team should have won a gold, or minimum, a sliver. If gold, it will give us 14 gold vs. the US leader (in total number of medals) having only 9 gold.

The above "answer" contending "The United States currently has the most Gold medals in Olympic history" may mislead some people. Canada has already, with 13 gold medals in these games, matched a past record. 14 Gold will mean we broke a record by winning the most gold one country has ever earned in either summer OR winter games. Here's how it stand with only 2 more events left to play in these games tomorrow, Feb. 27th.

GoldSilverBronzeTotal1.United States91413362.Germany10127293.Canada137525

So by traditional Olympic reckoning, Canada is number one, but notice above how websites and broadcasters seem to be paying attention to total medal method of ranking. If we use my above proposed method of assigning points worth 3-2-1, that means Canada would have already earned the most points or "score" at 58, the US. standings at 68 (still highest) and Germany 61 (also slightly higher than Canada). A ratio like 5-4-3 would bode even worse for Canada.

However, people more expert at these things might argue Gold is Gold for a reason, and everyone else is basically a loser, or a "runner up" or "also ran". By that reasoning, which has merit I believe. They would probably argue for something like a value assignment of 8-3-1 or worse (worse for silver and bronze). If that were the ratio, Canada clearly is the winner, with 130 as a score, followed by the US with 127 (not bad - at least that way, the US looks better than if you use just the old method valuing only the gold totals, with Germany also looking very good with a close third at 123.

If this method is considered too controversial, the great, let's just count Gold, ignoring all other medals. This puts Canada WAY out in front. But as a compromise, to please everyone, you can cater to both traditionalists and pragmatists by letting the media report both side by side.

Then it is up to the citizens of all countries to decide which number they want to brag about for 'bragging rights.' After all folks, these are supposed to be JUST games, remember? Let's not take it too seriously.

On the other hand, we cannot stop patriotic people everywhere from endlessly reading into the numbers, because humans are competitive. On the light side, it can be fun and harmless.

It is just a shame to know that some few people will always use such results to feel more superior ethnically, nationally, or racially, to others. Remember Hitler and the 1938 Olympic games in Germany, and how he used it for Propaganda and racist evil purposes?

Answer 2

b