The 24th Winter Olympics will be held in Beijing from Feb. 4-20, a much-needed distraction from the pandemic and the economic ills plaguing the nation.
Every four years, the Olympics plucks athletes from obscurity and enshrines them as heroes in their own country, sometimes vaulting them to worldwide glory as they win multiple medals in recognition of their skills.
To determine the most individual medals won at a single Winter Olympics, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the top individual medal winners at each edition of the Winter Olympics using the data platform Olympedia.
Given the number of events in sports such as speed skating and skiing, both cross-country and malpine, there are opportunities for athletes to win more than one medal in a single Olympics. Two cross-country skiers from Norway, for instance, each won four medals at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, and two from Sweden won four each in Pyeongchang, South Korea. (These are the countries with the most Winter Olympics gold medals.)
Norway holds the distinction of the most decorated medalists at individual Olympics, with 10 of its Olympians snagging four medals each at a single Olympiad. Norwegian Marit Bjørgen, who retired after the 2018 (Pyeongchang, South Korea) Olympics, won five medals each at two different Olympiads in cross-country skiing – in 2010 in Vancouver and 2018 (Pyeongchang, South Korea) in Pyeongchang. He also holds the record for the most overall individual medals at the Winter Olympics Games – 15.
Click here to see the most individual medals won at a single Winter Olympics
As great as their accomplishments are, one Olympian stands alone with the greatest-ever single Winter Olympics performance – a feat singular enough to get his image put on Wheaties boxes. This athlete, who won five gold medals in speed skating at a single Winter Olympics, is not from a traditional winter sports powerhouse such as Germany, Russia, or a Scandinavian country. He is Eric Heiden, of Madison, Wisconsin. (See how many Olympians are from your state.)
Source: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
31. Aleksandr Bolshunov
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 3 silver, 1 bronze
> Games: 2018 (Pyeongchang, South Korea) (Pyeongchang, South Korea)
> Discipline: Cross-country skiing
> Nation: Russian Olympic Committee
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
30. Sixten Jernberg
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 1 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze
> Games: 1956 (Pyeongchang, South Korea)
> Discipline: Cross-country skiing
> Nation: Sweden
Source: Al Bello / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
29. Stina Nilsson
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 1 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze
> Games: 2018 (Pyeongchang, South Korea) (Pyeongchang, South Korea)
> Discipline: Cross-country skiing
> Nation: Sweden
Source: Quinn Rooney / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
28. Charlotte Kalla
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 1 gold, 3 silver
> Games: 2018 (Pyeongchang, South Korea)
> Discipline: Cross-country skiing
> Nation: Sweden
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
27. Tatyana Averina-Barabash
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 2 gold, 2 bronze
> Games: 1976 (Innsbruck, Austria)
> Discipline: Speed skating
> Nation: Soviet Union
Source: Pascal Rondeau / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
26. Gunde Svan
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
> Games: 1984 (Sarajevo, Yugoslavia)
> Discipline: Cross-country skiing
> Nation: Sweden
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Source: Matthias Hangst / Getty Images
25. Petter Northug
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
> Games: 2010 (Vancouver, Canada)
> Discipline: Cross-country skiing
> Nation: Norway
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Source: Public Domain Dedication / Wikimedia Commons
24. Karin Enke-Kania
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 2 gold, 2 silver
> Games: 1984 (Sarajevo, Yugoslavia)
> Discipline: Speed skating
> Nation: East Germany
Source: Mike Powell / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
23. Bjørn Dæhlie
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 2 gold, 2 silver
> Games: 1994 (Lillehammer, Norway)
> Discipline: Cross-country skiing
> Nation: Norway
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Source: Pascal Rondeau / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
22. Marja-Liisa Kirvesniemi-Hämäläinen
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 3 gold, 1 bronze
> Games: 1984 (Sarajevo, Yugoslavia)
> Discipline: Cross-country skiing
> Nation: Finland
21. Viktor An
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 3 gold, 1 bronze
> Games: 2006 (Turin, Italy)
> Discipline: Short track speed skating
> Nation: Republic of Korea
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20. Viktor An
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 3 gold, 1 bronze
> Games: 2014 (Sochi, Russia)
> Discipline: Short track speed skating
> Nation: Russian Federation
Source: Alf Schrøder / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
19. Ivar Ballangrud
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 3 gold, 1 silver
> Games: 1936 (Garmisch Partenkirchen, Germany)
> Discipline: Speed skating
> Nation: Norway
Source: Getty Images / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
18. Lyubov Yegorova
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 3 gold, 1 silver
> Games: 1994 (Lillehammer, Norway)
> Discipline: Cross-country skiing
> Nation: Russian Federation
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Source: Matt Roberts / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
17. Bjørn Dæhlie
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 3 gold, 1 silver
> Games: 1998 (Nagano, Japan)
> Discipline: Cross-country skiing
> Nation: Norway
Source: Agence Zoom / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
16. Janica Kostelić
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 3 gold, 1 silver
> Games: 2002 (Salt Lake City, Utah)
> Discipline: Alpine skiing
> Nation: Croatia
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Source: Shaun Botterill / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
15. Vegard Ulvang
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 3 gold, 1 silver
> Games: 1992 (Albertville, France)
> Discipline: Cross-country skiing
> Nation: Norway
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Source: Getty Images / Staff / Getty Images
14. Bjørn Dæhlie
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 3 gold, 1 silver
> Games: 1992 (Albertville, France)
> Discipline: Cross-country skiing
> Nation: Norway
13. Lidiya Skoblikova
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 4 gold, 0 silver
> Games: 1964 (Innsbruck, Austria)
> Discipline: Speed skating
> Nation: Soviet Union
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Source: Richard Heathcote / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
12. Ole Einar Bjørndalen
> Total medals: 4
> Medal breakdown: 4 gold
> Games: 2002 (Salt Lake City, Utah)
> Discipline: Biathlon
> Nation: Norway
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
11. Roald Larsen
> Total medals: 5
> Medal breakdown: 2 silver, 3 bronze
> Games: 1924 (Chamonix, France)
> Discipline: Speed skating
> Nation: Norway
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10. Yelena Välbe
> Total medals: 5
> Medal breakdown: 1 gold, 4 bronze
> Games: 1992 (Albertville, France)
> Discipline: Cross-country skiing
> Nation: Unified Team
Source: Jasper Juinen / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
9. Cindy Klassen
> Total medals: 5
> Medal breakdown: 1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze
> Games: 2006 (Turin, Italy)
> Discipline: Speed skating
> Nation: Canada
Source: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
8. Marit Bjørgen
> Total medals: 5
> Medal breakdown: 2 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze
> Games: 2018 (Pyeongchang, South Korea)
> Discipline: Cross-country skiing
> Nation: Norway
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Source: Clive Rose / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
7. Manuela Di Centa
> Total medals: 5
> Medal breakdown: 2 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze
> Games: 1994 (Lillehammer, Norway)
> Discipline: Cross-country skiing
> Nation: Italy
Source: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
6. Ireen Wüst
> Total medals: 5
> Medal breakdown: 2 gold, 3 silver
> Games: 2014 (Sochi, Russia)
> Discipline: Speed skating
> Nation: Netherlands
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Source: Suomen Urheilumuseo / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
5. Clas Thunberg
> Total medals: 5
> Medal breakdown: 3 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
> Games: 1924 (Chamonix, France)
> Discipline: Speed skating
> Nation: Finland
Source: Quinn Rooney / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
4. Marit Bjørgen
> Total medals: 5
> Medal breakdown: 3 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
> Games: 2010 (Vancouver, Canada)
> Discipline: Cross-country skiing
> Nation: Norway
Source: Adam Pretty / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
3. Larisa Lazutina
> Total medals: 5
> Medal breakdown: 3 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
> Games: 1998 (Nagano, Japan)
> Discipline: Cross-country skiing
> Nation: Russian Federation
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2. Lyubov Yegorova
> Total medals: 5
> Medal breakdown: 3 gold, 2 silver
> Games: 1992 (Albertville, France)
> Discipline: Cross-country skiing
> Nation: Unified Team
Source: Central Press / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
1. Eric Heiden
> Total medals: 5
> Medal breakdown: 5 gold
> Games: 1980 (Lake Placid, New York)
> Discipline: Speed skating
> Nation: USA
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