The 20 most decorated Olympic athletes of all time

Phelps competed in five Olympics between 2000 and 2016 as a swimmer on the US team. During those years, he won 23 gold medals, three silver medals, and two bronze medals, earning a total of 28 medals and becoming the most decorated Olympian.

Latynina, an artistic gymnast from the Soviet Union, began her Olympic career in 1965 and won gold. She returned for two more Olympic games, ultimately earning nine gold medals, five silver medals, and four bronze medals.

By the end of her career, she had 18 Olympic medals in total and remained the top Olympian for four decades.

Andrianov made his Olympic debut in 1972 as an artistic gymnast and took home a gold and a bronze medal. Two games later, he earned a total of seven gold medals, five silver medals, and three bronze medals. In all, he earned 15 Olympic medals.

Bjørgen is a cross country skier from Norway who attended her first Olympics in 2006. After participating in five Olympic games, she has earned eight gold medals, four silver medals, and three bronze medals. In all, Bjørgen has 15 Olympic medals, making her the most accomplished winter Olympian to date.

In 1956, gymnast Shakhlin began his Olympic career and made a name for himself on the pommel horse. He returned for two more Olympic games, taking home a total of seven gold medals, four silver medals, and two bronze.

Bjørndalen competed in the biathalon — which combines cross country skiing with shooting a rifle — for Norway. Over the course of his Olympic career between 1994 and 2008, he earned 13 medals — eight gold, four silver, and one bronze.

Mangiarotti attended five Olympic games between 1936 and 1960 as a member of Italy's team. By the end of his career, he earned six gold medals, five silver medals, and two bronze medals. With 13 Olympic medals in total, Mangiarotti is the most decorated Olympic fencer in history.

In 1952, Ono attended his first Olympic games as an artistic gymnast for Japan. After participating in four more games, he took home five gold medals, four silver medals, and three bronze medals, bringing his total to 13.

Lochte joined the US swim team at the 2004 Olympic games and returned for four more games. At the last Olympics in 2016 in Rio, Lochte allegedly falsely stated he was robbed at gunpoint at a gas station while in Rio. Authorities later said Lochte made the story up, and he left the country in disgrace. In July, those charges were dropped.

To date, Lochte has six gold medals, three silver medals, and three bronze medals.

Thompson swam on the US team at the Olympics between 1992 and 2004, earning eight gold medals, three silver medals, and one bronze. With her 12 medals, she is considered one of the best females in her sport.

Nurmi attended the 1920 Olympics to participate in athletics — better known as running, throwing, and jumping. At those games, he earned three gold medals for Finland. Nurmi returned to the games three more times, ultimately earning nine gold medals and three silver medals.

When Fischer went to the Olympic games in Moscow and earned a gold medal in canoeing, she was just 20 years old. She went on to participate in six more Olympic games, earning eight gold medals and four silver medals.

Dæhlie became one of the most successful cross-country skiers in history when he earned eight gold medals and four silver medals between 1992 and 1998.

In 1968, Katō took home a whopping three gold medals and then participated in two more Olympic games. At the end of his career, he earned eight gold medals, three silver medals, and one bronze medal.

Torres was an Olympic swimmer for the US team between 1984 and 2008. During those years, she earned four gold medals, four silver medals, and four bronze medals.

Coughlin began her Olympic career in 2004 at the Athens games and took home two gold medals. She came back for two more Olympic games, bringing her medal total to three golds, four silvers, and five bronzes.

Nemov attended three Olympic games between 1996 and 2004 as a gymnast for the Russian Federation. During those years, he earned four gold medals, two silver medals, and six bronze medals.

Spitz's first participated in the Olympics in 1968, but he made history when he returned in 1972 and earned seven straight gold medals. In all, the swimmer has 11 medals — nine gold, one silver, and one bronze.

Biondi is an accomplished swimmer who started his Olympic career in 1984 and ended it at the 1992 games. Throughout those years, he earned eight gold medals, two silver medals, and one bronze.

Cáslavská's first Olympic games were in 1960, and she returned to compete in three more games. Over that time, she earned seven gold medals and four silver medals.

"Her victories were dramatic given that she defeated Soviet gymnasts shortly after Soviet tanks had invaded her homeland," the official Olympics website reads.