If medal counts determine what or who constitutes a nation, Michael Phelps would probably be invited to the G8 summit at this point.
He’s won 25 Olympic medals, 21 of them gold, which is more than any Olympian in the history of the Olympics.
But Phelps has also won more medals than most countries competing in the Olympics.
If you break down the all-time summer Olympics medal counts of every nation, Phelps has won more than 91 countries ever have, including Portugal, Peru, Singapore, Serbia, and 87 others (this count takes into account independent Olympic participants and mixed teams).
But the staggering stats continue. Phelps has won more gold medals than 108 countries, including Austria, Argentina, the Czech Republic, and Mexico (again, as well as independent Olympic participants and mixed teams).
Phelps’ medal count so far in the Rio games is in line with his overall trend of domination. He’s won three gold medals so far, which is as many as Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, and Chinese Taipei. His medal count is more than that of 189 countries, 159 of which currently have zero, and 30 of which have one or two.
Athletes from the United States have won 27 medals overall so far in Rio. The U.S. has won 2,399 medals over the course of all the summer Olympics the nation has ever competed in, 977 of them gold. That’s more than any other country in the world.
Phelps’ incredible performances raise a serious question: What would his country’s flag look like? I’m advocating for a silhouette of Phelps’ baby son Boomer in those tiny noise-canceling headphones he wears poolside while watching his dad compete. Against a white background. Keep it simple.
