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 |
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_at_the_Olympics
https://www.olympic.org/united-states-of-america
Charts created using OpenOffice Calc.