Athletics at the Summer Olympics
| Athletics at the Summer Olympics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Governing body | IAAF | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Events | 47 (men: 24; women: 23) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Games | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Medalists (men • women) • Records | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Athletics has been contested at every Summer Olympics since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics. The athletics program traces its earliest roots to events used in the ancient Greek Olympics. The modern program includes track and field events, road running events, and racewalking events. Cross country running was also on the program in earlier editions but it was dropped after the 1924 Summer Olympics.
Events
The events contested have varied widely. From 1900 to 1920, tug of war was considered to be part of the Olympic athletics programme, although the sports of tug of war and athletics are now considered distinct.[1]
Men's events
No new events have been added to the men's athletics programme since the 1952 addition of the short racewalk. The roster of events has not changed since then, with the exception of the omission of the long racewalk in 1976 (the IAAF held a 50 km walk World Championships that year instead and as a result the event was restored in 1980). The long racewalk is the only event currently held for men but not included on the women's programme, with the exception of women taking part in the heptathlon rather than the decathlon and the 100 metres hurdles rather than the 110 metres hurdles.
A total of 52 different events have been held in the men's competition. The current list comprises 24 events. Many of the discontinued events were similar to modern ones but at different lengths, especially in the steeplechasing, hurdling, and racewalking disciplines. Team racing events have been eliminated after appearing in six early editions of the Games. The athletic triathlon (an unusual event, held only once and featuring gymnasts competing in the long jump, shot put, and 100 metre dash) and pentathlon multi-discipline events were phased out in favor of the decathlon, and the medley relay replaced with even-leg relays. Standing jump competitions are no longer held, nor are the various modified throwing events which were experimented with in 1908 and 1912. Cross country running was on the program from 1912 to 1924 and is the most prominent form of athletics not to feature at the Olympics.
| Event | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 20 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current program | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 100 metres () | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 27 |
| 200 metres () | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 26 |
| 400 metres () | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 27 |
| 800 metres () | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 27 |
| 1500 metres () | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 27 |
| 5000 metres () | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 23 |
| 10,000 metres () | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 23 |
| Marathon () | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 27 |
| 110 metres hurdles () | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 27 |
| 400 metres hurdles () | – | X | X | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 25 |
| 3000 metres steeplechase () | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 22 |
| 4 × 100 metres relay () | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 23 |
| 4 × 400 metres relay () | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 23 |
| 20 kilometres race walk () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 15 |
| 50 kilometres race walk () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 18 |
| High jump () | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 27 |
| Pole vault () | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 27 |
| Long jump () | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 27 |
| Triple jump () | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 27 |
| Shot put () | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 27 |
| Discus throw () | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 27 |
| Hammer throw () | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 26 |
| Javelin throw () | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 24 |
| Decathlon () | – | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 24 |
| Past events | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 60 metres () | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 |
| 200 metres hurdles () | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 |
| 2500 metres steeplechase () | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 2590 metres steeplechase () | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 3200 metres steeplechase () | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 4000 metres steeplechase () | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Medley relay () | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 3000 metres team race () | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 |
| 5000 metres team race () | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 3-mile team race () | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 4-mile team race () | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 5 miles () | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 3000 metres race walk () | – | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 3500 metres race walk () | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| 10 kilometres race walk () | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 5 |
| 10 miles race walk () | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Triathlon () | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Pentathlon () | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 |
| Standing long jump () | – | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 |
| Standing triple jump () | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 |
| Standing high jump () | – | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 |
| 56 pound weight throw () | – | – | X | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 |
| Shot put, two hands () | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Discus throw, Greek style () | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Discus throw, two hands () | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Javelin throw, freestyle () | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Javelin throw, two hands () | – | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Individual cross country () | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 |
| Team cross country () | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 |
| Events | 12 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | |
Women's events
Women's competition in athletics began at the 1928 Summer Olympics
| Event | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | Games | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 metres () | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 20 | |||||
| 200 metres () | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 17 | |||||
| 400 metres () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 13 | |||||
| 800 metres () | X | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 15 | |||||
| 1500 metres () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 11 | |||||
| 5000 metres () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | 5 | |||||
| 10,000 metres () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 7 | |||||
| Marathon () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 8 | |||||
| 100 metres hurdles () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 11 | |||||
| 400 metres hurdles () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 8 | |||||
| 3000 metres steeplechase () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | 2 | |||||
| 4 × 100 metres relay () | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 20 | |||||
| 4 × 400 metres relay () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 11 | |||||
| 20 kilometres race walk () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | 4 | |||||
| High jump () | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 20 | |||||
| Pole vault () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | 4 | |||||
| Long jump () | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 17 | |||||
| Triple jump () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | 5 | |||||
| Shot put () | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 17 | |||||
| Discus throw () | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 20 | |||||
| Hammer throw () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | 4 | |||||
| Javelin throw () | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 19 | |||||
| Heptathlon () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 8 | |||||
| Past events | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 80 metres hurdles () | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8 | |||||
| Pentathlon () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 5 | |||||
| 3000 metres () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | |||||
| 10 kilometres race walk () | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | – | – | – | – | 2 | |||||
| Events | 5 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | ||||||
Nations
Nearly every nation that has competed at the Olympics has entered the athletics competition. The number in each box represents the number of athletes the nation sent.
- This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
| Nation | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 20 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | Years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Afghanistan (AFG) | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 Albania (ALB) | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 Algeria (ALG) | 4 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 21 | 20 | 12 | 6 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||
 American Samoa (ASA) | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 Andorra (AND) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||
 Argentina (ARG) | 10 | 7 | 11 | 8 | 24 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 20 | ||||||||
 Armenia (ARM) | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Aruba (ARU) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Australasia (ANZ) | 9 | 5 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Australia (AUS) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 18 | 17 | 76 | 28 | 35 | 24 | 22 | 27 | 21 | 30 | 28 | 35 | 60 | 82 | 42 | 40 | 50 | 25 | |||
 Austria (AUT) | 1 | 2 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 29 | 15 | 15 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 15 | 6 | 11 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 11 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 24 | ||||
 Azerbaijan (AZE) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Bahamas (BAH) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 11 | 8 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 14 | ||||||||||||||
 Bahrain (BRN) | 1 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 9 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
 Bangladesh (BAN) | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
 Barbados (BAR) | 2 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 11 | |||||||||||||||||
 Belarus (BLR) | 34 | 31 | 41 | 47 | 44 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
.svg.png){kind=small} Belgium (BEL) | 6 | 2 | 42 | 17 | 32 | 13 | 18 | 21 | 6 | 12 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 25 | 19 | 15 | 13 | 7 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 17 | 14 | 23 | |||||
 Belize (BIZ) | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||
 Benin (BEN) | 1 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||
 Bermuda (BER) | 6 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||
 Bohemia (BOH) | 4 | 3 | 11 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
.svg.png){kind=small} Bolivia (BOL) | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||
 Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 Botswana (BOT) | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||
 Brazil (BRA) | 8 | 19 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 20 | 20 | 24 | 40 | 18 | 34 | 41 | 30 | 20 | ||||||||
 British Virgin Islands (IVB) | 4 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
 Brunei (BRU) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Bulgaria (BUL) | 4 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 19 | 47 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 8 | 16 | ||||||||||||
 Burkina Faso (BUR) | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
 Burundi (BDI) | 7 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Canada (CAN) | 4 | 6 | 27 | 18 | 14 | 27 | 32 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 22 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 27 | 32 | 55 | 61 | 63 | 48 | 39 | 36 | 21 | 29 | 42 | 25 | |||
 Chile (CHI) | 6 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 21 | |||||||
 China (CHN) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | 6 | |||
 Croatia (CRO) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | 4 | |||
 Cuba (CUB) | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 19 | 26 | 17 | 34 | 46 | 33 | 33 | 43 | 46 | 17 | |||||||||||
 Czechoslovakia (TCH) | – | – | – | – | – | 16 | 17 | 11 | 5 | 31 | 13 | 25 | 18 | 30 | 12 | 14 | 32 | 15 | 24 | – | 22 | 18 | – | – | – | – | 16 | ||
 Denmark (DEN) | 3 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 18 | 9 | 10 | 2 | 10 | 16 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 26 | ||
 Ecuador (ECU) | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | |||||||||||||||||||||
 Egypt (EGY) | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 1 | – | |||||||||||||||||||||
 Estonia (EST) | – | – | – | – | – | 7 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 7 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 5 | 13 | 5 | 15 | 14 | 10 | ||
 Finland (FIN) | – | – | – | 15 | 23 | 26 | 52 | 35 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 22 | |||
 France (FRA) | 5 | 21 | (1) | 19 | 25 | 59 | 70 | 50 | 12 | 40 | 65 | 54 | 29 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 49 | 44 | 31 | 43 | 55 | 57 | 49 | 53 | 55 | 48 | 47 | 26 | |
 Germany (GER) | 5 | 6 | 2 | 20 | 24 | 62 | 27 | 77 | 39 | 43 | 90 | 97 | 79 | 85 | 64 | 71 | 53 | 71 | 18 | ||||||||||
 Great Britain (GBR) | 5 | 9 | 3 | 126 | 61 | 41 | 65 | 55 | 24 | 52 | 79 | 66 | 55 | 61 | 62 | 68 | 70 | 52 | 61 | 85 | 102 | 91 | 77 | 72 | 54 | 58 | 69 | 27 | |
 Greece (GRE) | 30 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 5 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 6 | 19 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 11 | 25 | 43 | 56 | 32 | 23 | 27 | |
 Haiti (HAI) | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
 Hungary (HUN) | 3 | 9 | 2 | 19 | 27 | 16 | 25 | 5 | 25 | 12 | 35 | 19 | 26 | 31 | 31 | 33 | 16 | 27 | 15 | 24 | 22 | 37 | 35 | 20 | 18 | 25 | |||
 Iceland (ISL) | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | |||||||||||||||||||||
 India (IND) | 1 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 24 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 23 | |||||
 Indonesia (INA) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | - | 1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||
 Iran (IRI) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | – | – | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 13 | ||
 Ireland (IRL) | – | – | – | – | – | – | 11 | 10 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 19 | |||
 Israel (ISR) | 7 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 13 | |||||||||||||||
 Italy (ITA) | 2 | 12 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 24 | 21 | 32 | 25 | 33 | 21 | 47 | 22 | 26 | 40 | 32 | 26 | 51 | 38 | 39 | 50 | 47 | 35 | 45 | 33 | 25 | |||
 Japan (JPN) | – | – | – | – | 2 | 11 | 8 | 16 | X | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | 16 | |||
 South Korea (KOR) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 | |||
 Latvia (LAT) | – | – | – | – | – | – | 10 | 6 | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7 | 9 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 8 | ||
 Lithuania (LTU) | 5 | 8 | 14 | 18 | 12 | 18 | 20 | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||
 Luxembourg (LUX) | 2 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 18 | ||||||||||
 Mexico (MEX) | – | – | – | – | – | – | 11 | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||
 Monaco (MON) | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
 Netherlands (NED) | – | – | – | 20 | 1 | 11 | 19 | 50 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 22 | |||
 New Zealand (NZL) | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
 Norway (NOR) | 2 | 11 | 21 | 16 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 11 | 20 | 19 | 5 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 24 | ||||
 Paraguay (PAR) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 1 | – | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | ||
 Philippines (PHI) | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
 Poland (POL) | – | – | – | – | – | – | 14 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||
 Portugal (POR) | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | 3 | 3 | X | X | X | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 19 | |||
 Russia (RUS) | – | – | – | 1 | 35 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | 6 | |||
 Romania (ROU) | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Serbia (SRB) | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | – | |||||||||||||||||||||
 South Africa (RSA) | – | – | 3 | 9 | 7 | 13 | 12 | 9 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | 16 | |||
 Spain (ESP) | – | – | – | – | – | 14 | 13 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||
 Sweden (SWE) | 1 | 8 | 31 | 106 | 64 | 33 | 29 | 9 | 37 | 50 | 45 | 17 | 26 | 16 | 18 | 26 | 19 | 16 | 24 | 11 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 26 | ||
 Switzerland (SUI) | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 17 | 9 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 23 | |||
 Soviet Union (URS) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | 9 | ||
 Turkey (TUR) | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | 4 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||
 United States (USA) | 10 | 41 | 86 | 84 | 109 | 90 | 96 | 98 | 82 | 77 | 76 | 71 | 81 | 81 | 86 | 91 | 95 | 92 | 110 | 114 | 117 | 121 | 116 | 116 | 121 | 123 | 26 | ||
 Yugoslavia (YUG) | – | – | – | – | – | – | 5 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| No. of nations | 10 | 15 | 10 | 20 | 27 | 25 | 40 | 40 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| No. of athletes | 64 | 117 | 233 | 446 | 556 | 509 | 657 | 706 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Medal table
Updated after the 2012 Summer Olympics
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States (USA) | 320 | 251 | 196 | 767 |
| 2 | Soviet Union (URS) | 64 | 55 | 74 | 193 |
| 3 | Great Britain (GBR) | 53 | 79 | 62 | 194 |
| 4 | Finland (FIN) | 48 | 35 | 31 | 114 |
| 5 |  East Germany (GDR) | 38 | 36 | 35 | 109 |
| 6 | Russia (RUS) | 26 | 27 | 25 | 78 |
| 7 |  Kenya (KEN) | 24 | 31 | 24 | 79 |
| 8 | Poland (POL) | 23 | 18 | 13 | 54 |
| 9 |  Ethiopia (ETH) | 21 | 7 | 17 | 45 |
| 10 | Australia (AUS) | 20 | 26 | 25 | 71 |
| 11 | Sweden (SWE) | 19 | 21 | 41 | 81 |
| 12 | Italy (ITA) | 19 | 15 | 26 | 60 |
| 13 |  Jamaica (JAM) | 18 | 29 | 20 | 67 |
| 14 | Germany (GER) | 16 | 24 | 37 | 77 |
| 15 | France (FRA) | 14 | 22 | 25 | 61 |
| 16 | Canada (CAN) | 13 | 14 | 26 | 53 |
| 17 | West Germany (FRG) | 12 | 14 | 17 | 43 |
| 18 | Romania (ROU) | 11 | 14 | 10 | 35 |
| 19 | Czechoslovakia (TCH) | 11 | 8 | 5 | 24 |
| 20 | Cuba (CUB) | 10 | 14 | 15 | 39 |
| 21 | Hungary (HUN) | 10 | 13 | 17 | 40 |
| 22 | New Zealand (NZL) | 10 | 2 | 8 | 20 |
| 23 |  Unified Team (EUN) | 7 | 11 | 3 | 21 |
| 24 | Japan (JPN) | 7 | 7 | 9 | 23 |
| 25 | Norway (NOR) | 7 | 5 | 8 | 20 |
| 26 | Greece (GRE) | 6 | 12 | 11 | 29 |
| 27 | South Africa (RSA) | 6 | 12 | 6 | 24 |
| 28 |  Morocco (MAR) | 6 | 5 | 8 | 19 |
| 29 | China (CHN) | 6 | 3 | 12 | 21 |
| 30 | Netherlands (NED) | 6 | 3 | 6 | 15 |
| 31 | Bulgaria (BUL) | 5 | 7 | 6 | 18 |
| 32 |  Czech Republic (CZE) | 5 | 1 | 4 | 10 |
| 33 |  Unified Team of Germany (EUA) | 4 | 18 | 8 | 30 |
| 34 | Belarus (BLR) | 4 | 5 | 8 | 17 |
| 35 | Brazil (BRA) | 4 | 3 | 7 | 14 |
| 36 | Portugal (POR) | 4 | 2 | 4 | 10 |
| 37 | Ireland (IRL) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| 38 | Bahamas (BAH) | 4 | 2 | 4 | 10 |
| 39 | Algeria (ALG) | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| 40 | Belgium (BEL) | 3 | 6 | 2 | 11 |
| 41 | Mexico (MEX) | 3 | 5 | 2 | 10 |
| 42 |  Ukraine (UKR) | 3 | 3 | 12 | 18 |
| 43 | Lithuania (LTU) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 44 |  Trinidad and Tobago (TRI) | 2 | 4 | 8 | 14 |
| 45 | Spain (ESP) | 2 | 4 | 5 | 11 |
| 46 | Argentina (ARG) | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| 47 | Estonia (EST) | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 48 |  Dominican Republic (DOM) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 49 |  Kazakhstan (KAZ) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
 Uganda (UGA) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | |
| 51 |  Cameroon (CMR) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 52 |  Nigeria (NGR) | 1 | 4 | 8 | 13 |
| 53 | Turkey (TUR) | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 54 |  Tunisia (TUN) | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 55 | Austria (AUT) | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 |
| 56 |  Slovenia (SLO) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 57 | Croatia (CRO) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Ecuador (ECU) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| South Korea (KOR) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| Mixed team (ZZX) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 61 |  Panama (PAN) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 62 |  Mozambique (MOZ) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 63 | Burundi (BDI) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
 Grenada (GRN) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Luxembourg (LUX) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 Syria (SYR) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 67 | Switzerland (SUI) | 0 | 6 | 2 | 8 |
| 68 | Latvia (LAT) | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 69 |  Namibia (NAM) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 70 | Denmark (DEN) | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 71 | Chile (CHI) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| India (IND) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
 Sri Lanka (SRI) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
 Tanzania (TAN) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| Yugoslavia (YUG) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 76 |  Colombia (COL) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Iceland (ISL) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
 Chinese Taipei (TPE) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 79 | Bohemia (BOH) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Botswana (BOT) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Ivory Coast (CIV) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Guatemala (GUA) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Haiti (HAI) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Iran (IRI) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Saudi Arabia (KSA) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Senegal (SEN) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Sudan (SUD) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Zambia (ZAM) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 89 |  British West Indies (BWI) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Philippines (PHI) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
 Qatar (QAT) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 92 | Australasia (ANZ) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Barbados (BAR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Djibouti (DJI) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Eritrea (ERI) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Puerto Rico (PUR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Venezuela (VEN) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 931 | 939 | 932 | 2802 | |
References
- ↑ Past Olympic Sports. Olympics/IOC. Retrieved on 2010-08-30.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Athletics at the Olympics. |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||