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INTRODUCTION

This page looks at the Olympic gold medallists for Team USA from the 2000 games in Sydney to the 2016 games in Rio. 

Charts

1.  US Gold Medallists from 2000 - 2016 by Region of Birth 

2. US Gold Medallists from 2000 - 2016 by Region of Birth by Race

3. Medals Per 10 million Inhabitants 10 Most Populated States

4. Solo US Gold Medallists from 2000 - 2016 by Sport 

5. Solo US Gold Medallists from 2000 - 2016 by Sport 

6. Frequency of US Solo Gold Medals by Athletics Events 2000 - 2016

Data Table

7. Solo US Summer Olympic Gold Medalists 2000 - 2016 by Sport, Event, Place of Birth, Racial Group and Height

The southern region has produced the most American gold medalist from 2000 - 2016 but it's by far the largest region so this is to be expected. On a per capita basis, the Western region is the most successful. However, no region is vastly over or under-represented compared to population. The northeast could be described as the least successful though. 

For these chart, multiple medals for 1 athlete at each games are counted once. For example, Michael Phelps has won 23 gold medals over 4 games. So he is counted 4 times when making the chart. This is so 1 dominant Olympian in a multi-event sport doesn't skew the measurement of how well regions and states produce athletes. However it would also be wrong just to count athletes once if they are successful over many years. 

Although the south is the place of birth of more black American gold medalists than any other region, it is actually underrepresented since over 50% of black Americans come from the south. The Midwest is the most successful per capita in producing black Olympic gold medalists since 2000. 

Among white Americans, the south is significantly over-represented in producing Olympic gold medalists since 2000. Michael Phelps was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He has won 23 gold medals over 4 games. The west is also over-represented for whites. 

The largest state by far is California so it's to be expected that they would have the most. The other two big states are 2nd and 3rd. Maryland is a relatively average sized state but is in joint 4th. This is in large part due to Michael Phelps. 

US success in Olympics is predominantly concentrated in swimming and athletics. Athletics and swimming have a lot of events so this partly explains it. Shooting is notable in 3rd. It's not the most well known of Olympic sports but, given it's high rate of gun ownership, it's not surprising that the US does well in Olympic shooting. 

By far most black gold medalists are in athletics events. Gymnastics is 2nd due to the success of Simone Biles. 

On the other hand, whites do best in swimming. The different distribution of sports for white and black show the cultural differences that exist in America between whites and blacks. Shooting medals are won far more by whites than blacks. 

Only 2 of 10 of the 100 metre gold medalists from 2000 - 2016 were American. This is quite low given the success in this event in the 20th century. They have been surpassed by Jamaica in the most popular Athletics event. US athletes have been quite successful in hurdle events. Distance running doesn't have any. 

7. Solo US Summer Olympic Gold Medalists 2000 - 2016 by Sport, Event, Place of Birth, Racial Group and Height
Games
Name
Sport
Event
Town/City of birth
US State of Birth
Country of Birth
Racial/Ethnic group
Height
RIO 2016
Virginia Thrasher
Shooting
Women's 10 m air rifle
Rome
New York
United States
White/European
5'1
Katie Ledecky
Swimming
Women's 400 m freestyle, Women's 200 m freestyle & Women's 800 m freestyle (3)
Washington
DC
United States
White/European
6'0
Ryan Murphy
Swimming
Men's 100 m backstroke & Men's 200 m backstroke (2)
Chicago
Illinois
United States
White/European
6'4
Lilly King
Swimming
Women's 100 m breaststroke
Evansville
Indiana
United States
White/European
5'9
Michael Phelps
Swimming
Men's 200 m butterfly & Men's 200 m individual medley (2)
Baltimore
Maryland
United States
White/European
6'4
Kristin Armstrong
Cycling
Women's time trial
Memphis
Tennessee
United States
White/European
5'8
Simone Biles
Gymnastics
Women's artistic individual all-around, Women's vault & Women's floor (2)
Columbus
Ohio
United States
Black/African
4'8
Kayla Harrison
Judo
Women's 78 kg
Middletown
Ohio
United States
White/European
5'8
Simone Manuel
Swimming
Women's 100 m freestyle
Sugar Land
Texas
United States
Black/African
5'10
Michelle Carter
Athletics
Women's shot put
San Jose
California
United States
Black/African
5'9
Anthony Ervin
Swimming
Men's 50 m freestyle
Valencia
California
United States
White/European
6'3
Maya DiRado
Swimming
Women's 200 m backstroke
Santa Rosa
California
United States
White/European
5'9
Jeff Henderson
Athletics
Men's long jump
North Little Rock
Arkansas
United States
Black/African
5'10
Christian Taylor
Athletics
Men's triple jump
Uniondale
New York
United States
Black/African
6'2
Brianna Rollins
Athletics
Women's 100 m hurdles
Miami
Florida
United States
Black/African
5'5
Tianna Bartoletta
Athletics
Women's long jump
Elyria
Ohio
United States
Black/African
5'6
Kerron Clement
Athletics
Men's 400 m hurdles
Port of Spain
N/A
Trinidad and Tobago
Black/African
6'2
Ryan Crouser
Athletics
Men's shot put
Boring
Oregon
United States
White/European
6'8
Ashton Eaton
Athletics
Men's decathlon
Portland
Oregon
United States
Mulatto
6'1
Dalilah Muhammad
Athletics
Women's 400 m hurdles
New York City
New York
United States
Black/African
5'8
Helen Maroulis
Wrestling
Women's freestyle 53 kg
Rockville
Maryland
United States
White/European
5'3
Connor Fields
Cycling
Men's BMX
Plano
Texas
United States
White/European
6'0
Matthew Centrowitz Jr.
Athletics
Men's 1500 m
Beltsville
Maryland
United States
Mixed
5'9
Gwen Jorgensen
Triathlon
Women's
Waukesha
Wisconsin
United States
White/European
5'9
Claressa Shields
Boxing
Women's middleweight
Flint
Michigan
United States
Black/African
5'10
Kyle Snyder
Wrestling
Men's freestyle 97 kg
Woodbine
Maryland
United States
White/European
5'11
LONDON 2012
Ryan Lochte
Swimming
Men's 400 m individual medley
Rochester
New York
United States
White/European
6'2
Kim Rhode
Shooting
Women's skeet
Whittier
California
United States
White/European
5'4
Dana Vollmer
Swimming
Women's 100 m butterfly
Syracuse
New York
United States
White/European
6'1
Matt Grevers
Swimming
Men's 100 m backstroke
Lake Forest
Illinois
United States
White/European
6'8
Missy Franklin
Swimming
Women's 100 m backstroke & Women's 200 m backstroke (2)
Pasadena
California
United States
White/European
6'2
Vincent Hancock
Shooting
Men's skeet
Port Charlotte
Florida
United States
White/European
null
Allison Schmitt
Swimming
Women's 200 m freestyle
Canton
Michigan
United States
White/European
6'1
Kristin Armstrong
Cycling
Women's time trial
Memphis
Tennessee
United States
White/European
5'8
Nathan Adrian
Swimming
Men's 100 m freestyle
Bremerton
Washington
United States
White/European
6'6
Gabby Douglas
Gymnastics
Women's artistic individual all-around
Newport News
Virginia
United States
Black/African
5'2
Kayla Harrison
Judo
Women's 78 kg
Middletown
Ohio
United States
White/European
5'8
Tyler Clary
Swimming
Men's 200 m backstroke
Redlands
California
United States
White/European
6'1
Michael Phelps
Swimming
Men's 200 m individual medley & Men's 100 m butterfly (2)
Baltimore
Maryland
United States
White/European
6'4
Rebecca Soni
Swimming
Women's 200 m breaststroke
Freehold Borough
New Jersey
United States
White/European
5'8
Katie Ledecky
Swimming
Women's 800 m freestyle
Washington
DC
United States
White/European
6'0
Jamie Lynn Gray
Shooting
Women's 50 m rifle 3 positions
Lebanon
Pennsylvania
United States
White/European
5'2
Serena Williams
Tennis
Women's singles
Saginaw
Michigan
United States
Black/African
5'9
Sanya Richards-Ross
Track & field
Women's 400 m
Kingston
N/A
Jamaica
Black/African
5'8
Jennifer Suhr
Track & field
Women's pole vault
Fredonia
New York
United States
White/European
6'0
Aly Raisman
Gymnastics
Women's floor
Needham
Massachusetts
United States
White/European
5'2
Aries Merritt
Track & field
Men's 110 m hurdles
Chicago
Illinois
United States
Black/African
6'1
Allyson Felix
Track & field
Women's 200 m
Los Angeles
California
United States
Black/African
5'6
Brittney Reese
Track & field
Women's long jump
Inglewood
California
United States
Black/African
5'8
Claressa Shields
Boxing
Women's middleweight
Flint
Michigan
United States
Black/African
5'10
Christian Taylor
Track & field
Men's triple jump
Uniondale
New York
United States
Black/African
6'2
Ashton Eaton
Track & field
Men's decathlon
Portland
Oregon
United States
Mulatto
6'1
Jordan Burroughs
Wrestling
Men's freestyle 74 kg
Sicklerville
New Jersey
United States
Black/African
5'8
David Boudia
Diving
Men's 10 m platform
Abilene
Texas
United States
White/European
5'9
Jake Varner
Wrestling
Men's freestyle 96 kg
Bakersfield
California
United States
White/European
6'1
BEIJING 2008
Mariel Zagunis
Fencing
Women's sabre
Portland
Oregon
United States
White/European
5'8
Michael Phelps
Swimming
Men's 400 m individual medley, Men's 200 m freestyle, Men's 200 m butterfly, Men's 200 m individual medley, Men's 100 m butterfly (5)
Baltimore
Maryland
United States
White/European
6'4
Natalie Coughlin
Swimming
Women's 100 m backstroke
Vallejo
California
United States
White/European
5'8
Aaron Peirsol
Swimming
Men's 100 m backstroke
Irvine
California
United States
White/European
6'3
Walton Eller
Shooting
Men's double trap
Houston
Texas
United States
White/European
6'3
Kristin Armstrong
Cycling
Women's time trial
Memphis
Tennessee
United States
White/European
5'8
Rebecca Soni
Swimming
Women's 200 m breaststroke
Freehold Borough
New Jersey
United States
White/European
5'8
Ryan Lochte
Swimming
Men's 200 m backstroke
Rochester
New York
United States
White/European
6'2
Nastia Liukin
Gymnastics
Women's artistic individual all-around
Moscow
N/A
Soviet Union
White/European
5'3
Vincent Hancock
Shooting
Men's skeet
Port Charlotte
Florida
United States
White/European
null
Stephanie Brown Trafton
Track & field
Women's discus throw
San Luis Obispo
California
United States
White/European
6'4
Angelo Taylor
Track & field
Men's 400 m hurdles
Albany
Georgia
United States
Black/African
6'2
Anna Tunnicliffe
Sailing
Women's Laser Radial class
Doncaster
N/A
United Kingdom
White/European
null
Henry Cejudo
Wrestling
Men's freestyle 55 kg
Los Angeles
California
United States
Mestizo
5'4
Shawn Johnson
Gymnastics
Women's balance beam
Des Moines
Iowa
United States
White/European
4'11
Dawn Harper
Track & field
Women's 100 m hurdles
East St. Louis
Illinois
United States
Black/African
5'6
LaShawn Merritt
Track & field
Men's 400 m
Portsmouth
Virginia
United States
Black/African
6'2
Bryan Clay
Track & field
Men's decathlon
Austin
Texas
United States
Afro-Asian
5'11
ATHENS 2004
Michael Phelps
Swimming
Men's 400 m individual medley, Men's 200 m butterfly, Men's 200 m individual medley & Men's 100 m butterfly (4)
Baltimore
Maryland
United States
White/European
6'4
Aaron Peirsol
Swimming
Men's 100 m backstroke & Men's 200 m backstroke (2)
Irvine
California
United States
White/European
6'3
Natalie Coughlin
Swimming
Women's 100 m backstroke
Vallejo
California
United States
White/European
5'8
Mariel Zagunis
Fencing
Women's sabre
Portland
Oregon
United States
White/European
5'8
Adam Nelson
Athletics
Men's shot put
Atlanta
Georgia
United States
White/European
6'0
Paul Hamm
Gymnastics
Men's artistic individual all-around
Washburn
Wisconsin
United States
White/European
5'6
Kimberly Rhode
Shooting
Women's double trap
Whittier
California
United States
White/European
5'4
Carly Patterson
Gymnastics
Women's artistic individual all-around
Baton Rouge
Louisiana
United States
White/European
5'0
Amanda Beard
Swimming
Women's 200 m breaststroke
Newport Beach
California
United States
White/European
5'8
Matthew Emmons
Shooting
Men's 50 m rifle prone
Mount Holly Township
New Jersey
United States
White/European
5'10
Gary Hall, Jr.
Swimming
Men's 50 m freestyle
Cincinnati
Ohio
United States
White/European
6'6
Justin Gatlin
Athletics
Men's 100 m
Brooklyn
New York
United States
Black/African
6'1
Jeremy Wariner
Athletics
Men's 400 m
Irving
Texas
United States
White/European
6'0
Shawn Crawford
Athletics
Men's 200 m
Van Wyck
South Carolina
United States
Black/African
5'11
Dwight Phillips
Athletics
Men's long jump
Decatur
Georgia
United States
Black/African
5'11
Joanna Hayes
Athletics
Women's 100 m hurdles
Williamsport
Pennsylvania
United States
Black/African
null
Timothy Mack
Athletics
Men's pole vault
Cleveland
Ohio
United States
White/European
6'2
Steven López
Taekwondo
Men's 80 kg
null
N/A
Nicaragua
Mestizo
6'3
Cael Sanderson
Wrestling
Men's freestyle 84 kg
Salt Lake City
Utah
United States
White/European
null
Andre Ward
Boxing
Light heavyweight
San Francisco
California
United States
Mixed
6'0
SYDNEY 2000
Nancy Johnson
Shooting
Women's 10 m air rifle
Phenix City
Alabama
United States
White/European
null
Brooke Bennett
Swimming
Women's 400 m freestyle & Women's 800 m freestyle (2)
Tampa
Florida
United States
White/European
5'5
Tara Nott
Weightlifting
Women's 48 kg
Del Rio
Texas
United States
White/European
5'0.5
Lenny Krayzelburg
Swimming
Men's 100 m backstroke & Men's 200 m backstroke (2)
Odessa
N/A
Soviet Union
White/European
6'2
Megan Quann
Swimming
Women's 100 m breaststroke
Tacoma
Washington
United States
White/European
5'7
Tom Malchow
Swimming
Men's 200 m butterfly
St Paul
Minnesota
United States
White/European
6'6
Misty Hyman
Swimming
Women's 200 m butterfly
Mesa
Arizona
United States
White/European
5'7
Marty Nothstein
Cycling
Men's sprint
Allentown
Pennsylvania
United States
White/European
6'1.5
Tom Dolan
Swimming
Men's 400 m medley
Arlington
Virginia
United States
White/European
6'7
David O'Connor
Equestrian
Individual Eventing
Washington
DC
United States
White/European
null
Anthony Ervin
Swimming
Men's 50 m freestyle
Valencia
California
United States
White/European
6'3
Gary Hall, Jr.
Swimming
Men's 50 m freestyle
Cincinnati
Ohio
United States
White/European
6'6
Maurice Greene
Athletics
Men's 100 m
Kansas City
Kansas
United States
Black/African
5'9
Laura Wilkinson
Diving
Women's platform
Houston
Texas
United States
White/European
5'6
Michael Johnson
Athletics
Men's 400 m
Dallas
Texas
United States
Black/African
6'1
Stacy Dragila
Athletics
Women's pole vault
Auburn
California
United States
White/European
5'7.5
Angelo Taylor
Athletics
Men's 400 m hurdles
Albany
Georgia
United States
Black/African
6'2
Rulon Gardner
Wrestling
Men's Greco-Roman 130 kg
Afton
Wyoming
United States
White/European
6'2
Steven López
Taekwondo
Men's 68 kg
null
N/A
Nicaragua
Mestizo
6'3
Venus Williams
Tennis
Women's singles
Lynwood
California
United States
Black/African
6'1
Nick Hysong
Athletics
Men's pole vault
Winslow
Arizona
United States
White/European
6'0
Brandon Slay
Wrestling
Men's freestyle 76 kg
Amarillo
Texas
United States
White/European
null
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