Article by Anya Pelshaw, courtesy of Swim Swam.
2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES
The US led the final medal table of swimming at the 2024 Paris Olympics. They tallied a total of 8 golds and 28 total medals to finish ahead of Australia with 7 gold and 18 total medals.
The US has led the medal table for 9 straight Olympics now. How does each country stack up to their previous success in swimming at the Olympics?
SWIMMING MEDAL TABLE
RANK | NATION | GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE | TOTAL |
1 | United States | 8 | 13 | 7 | 28 |
2 | Australia | 7 | 8 | 3 | 18 |
3 | France | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
4 | Canada | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
5 | China | 2 | 3 | 7 | 12 |
6 | Italy | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
7 | Hungary | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
8 | Sweden | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
9 | Great Britain | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
10 | South Africa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
11 | Ireland | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
12
|
Germany | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Romania | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
14
|
Greece | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Japan | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
16
|
Hong Kong | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Netherlands | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
18
|
South Korea | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Switzerland | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Overall Historic Swimming Medal Table
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
1 | United States (USA) | 265 | 191 | 151 | 607 |
2 | Australia (AUS) | 76 | 78 | 76 | 230 |
3 | East Germany (GDR) | 38 | 32 | 22 | 92 |
4 | Hungary (HUN) | 30 | 27 | 20 | 77 |
5 | Japan (JPN) | 24 | 28 | 32 | 84 |
6 | Great Britain (GBR) | 21 | 33 | 30 | 84 |
7 | Netherlands (NED) | 19 | 20 | 21 | 60 |
8 | China (CHN) | 18 | 24 | 19 | 61 |
9 | Germany (GER) | 14 | 18 | 31 | 63 |
10 | Soviet Union (URS) | 12 | 21 | 26 | 59 |
11 | Canada (CAN) | 12 | 20 | 30 | 62 |
12 | France (FRA) | 12 | 17 | 21 | 50 |
13 | Sweden (SWE) | 11 | 16 | 14 | 41 |
14 | South Africa (RSA) | 8 | 8 | 6 | 22 |
15 | Italy (ITA) | 7 | 7 | 17 | 31 |
16 | Unified Team (EUN) | 6 | 3 | 1 | 10 |
17 | Russia (RUS) | 4 | 9 | 9 | 22 |
18 | Ukraine (UKR) | 4 | 3 | 2 | 9 |
19 | Romania (ROU) | 4 | 2 | 5 | 11 |
20 | Ireland (IRL) | 4 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
21 | West Germany (FRG) | 3 | 5 | 14 | 22 |
22 | Denmark (DEN) | 3 | 5 | 7 | 15 |
23 | Tunisia (TUN) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
24 | Zimbabwe (ZIM) | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
25 | Australasia (ANZ) | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
26 | Spain (ESP) | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
27 | ROC | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
28 | New Zealand (NZL) | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
29 | Austria (AUT) | 1 | 6 | 5 | 12 |
30 | United Team of Germany (EUA) | 1 | 5 | 6 | 12 |
31 | Brazil (BRA) | 1 | 4 | 10 | 15 |
32 | Greece (GRE) | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 |
33 | Poland (POL) | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
34 | South Korea (KOR) | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
35 | Belgium (BEL) | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
36 | Costa Rica (CRC) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
37
|
Argentina (ARG) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Bulgaria (BUL) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
39 | Yugoslavia (YUG) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
40
|
Mexico (MEX) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Suriname (SUR) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
42
|
Kazakhstan (KAZ) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Lithuania (LTU) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
Singapore (SIN) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
45 | Hong Kong (HKG) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
46 | Belarus (BLR) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
47 | Slovakia (SVK) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
48 | Finland (FIN) | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
49
|
Cuba (CUB) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Norway (NOR) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
51
|
Croatia (CRO) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Serbia (SRB) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
Slovenia (SLO) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
54 | Switzerland (SUI) | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
55 | Philippines (PHI) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
56
|
Trinidad and Tobago (TRI) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Venezuela (VEN) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Comparing Countries To Previous Games
USA
The US has led the medal table for the last 9 Olympics but this was the worst they have done leading the medal table, with only 8 golds. They have always been in double-digits for golds but still managed to stand on the top of the medal table in Paris.
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
1996 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 26 |
2000 | 14 | 8 | 11 | 33 |
2004 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 28 |
2008 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 31 |
2012 | 16 | 9 | 6 | 31 |
2016 | 16 | 8 | 9 | 33 |
2020 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 30 |
2024 | 8 | 13 | 7 | 28 |
Australia
Australia has had solid showings in the last two Olympic Games. After 9 gold medals in Tokyo, they walk away with 7 here.
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
1996 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 12 |
2000 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 18 |
2004 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 15 |
2008 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 20 |
2012 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 10 |
2016 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 10 |
2020 | 9 | 3 | 9 | 21 |
2024 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 18 |
France
Host country France walks away with four gold medals and 7 total, their most since the 2012 London Games.
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
2000 Sydney | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
2004 Athens | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
2008 Beijing | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
2012 London | 4 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
2016 Rio | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
2020 Tokyo | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
2024 Paris | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
Canada
Summer McIntosh led the way for Canada with three gold medals, becoming the first Canadian to ever win three golds at one Olympic Games.
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
1996 Atlanta | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
2000 Sydney | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
2008 Beijing | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
2012 London | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
2016 Rio de Janeiro | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
2020 Tokyo | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
2024 Paris | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
China
China brings home 12 total medals, more than it brought home at the 2012 Games, although in 2012 they had 5 gold compared to just 2 from Paris.
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
1996 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
2000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2004 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
2008 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
2012 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
2016 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
2020 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
2024 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 12 |
Italy
After winning zero gold medals in Tokyo, Thomas Ceccon and Nicolo Martinenghi led the Italian team to two golds and five total medals
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
1996 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
2000 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
2004 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
2008 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
2012 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
2016 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
2020 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
2024 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
Hungary
Kristof Milak and Hubert Kos teamed up to equal Hungary’s medal tally of three total medals from Tokyo. The country has consistently had a medalist in the last 8 Games.
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
1996 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
2000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
2004 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
2008 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
2012 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
2016 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
2020 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
2024 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Sweden
Sarah Sjostrom brings home two gold medals, one in the 50 free and one in the 100 free. After winning 0 medals in back to back to back Games, they country now has medaled in the most recent 3.
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
1996 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
2000 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
2004 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2008 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2016 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
2020 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Great Britain
The men’s 4×200 free relay defended their title from Tokyo while in Paris. The country did not match its total medal tally of 8 from Tokyo but 5 is still more than they were at the turn of the century.
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
1996 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
2000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2004 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
2008 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
2012 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
2016 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
2020 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
2024 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
Medals Per Continent
North America
Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
United States | 8 | 13 | 7 | 28 |
Canada | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
11 | 15 | 10 | 36 |
Europe
Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
France | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
Italy | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
Hungary | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Sweden | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Great Britain | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
Ireland | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Germany | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Romania | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Greece | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Netherlands | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Switzerland | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
14 | 8 | 11 | 33 |
Oceania
Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
Australia | 7 | 8 | 3 | 18 |
Asia
Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
China | 2 | 3 | 7 | 12 |
Japan | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Hong Kong | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
South Korea | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
2 | 4 | 10 | 16 |
Africa
Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
South Africa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |