Tag: Medals

Medal rivalry within top Countries in the 2016 Summer Olympics

By Merari Taboada

Here are the top 11 countries to win the most gold, silver, and bronze medals, adding up to the country’s total count of medals won.

Since its birth, the Olympic games has been known as an event in which countries all over the world are brought together to compete in a variety of sports. It was a way to prove an athlete’s strength, endurance, and persistence, but most importantly, to represent one’s own country. Although the Olympics is a representation of bringing a movement of peace and sportsmanship amongst different cultures and backgrounds, there is no doubt that a long history of rivalry has played out throughout many countries across time.

Throughout history, war has been a major aspect of defining how different politics and ideologies can cause a great deal of conflict. In a world where the relationship between politics and sports share common characteristics of tension and drama, one shouldn’t be surprised for there to be rivalry, especially in the battleground of the Olympics. The 1952 Olympic games is an example of the beginning of the great rivalry between the United States and Russia in times when war was most common, in cases such as World War II and the Cold War. The 1952 Olympics as proof that sports brought in a whole new perspective of rivalry amongst countries.

Furthermore, other countries such as China and Germany have made their way to becoming huge competitors against the United States. It is without a doubt that in order to aim victory and superiority, countries aim to win the most gold medals and in total the most medals for their country.

Although the U.S has experienced with loss during the Olympic games throughout its various years, no other time has the U.S been at its greatest in receiving the most gold and total medals like it did in the 1896 Olympic games and the 2016 Summer Olympic games. In the 2016 Olympics, the U.S was able to win a total of 121 medals, 3 times more than its major competitor, China, and even more times than the rest of the top countries.

The next Summer Olympic games will be held in Tokyo, Japan 2020.