Track and Field

Most Olympic Titles

The most gold medals won by a woman is four, by Fanny Blankers-Koen (Netherlands) in the 100m, 200m, 80-m hurdles and 4x100m relay, 1948; Betty Cuthbert (Austalia) in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay, 1956, and the 400m, 1964; Barbel Wockel (GDR) in the 200m and 4x100m relay, 1976 and 1980; and Evelyn Ashford (USA) in the 100m, 1984, and 4x100m relay, 1984, 1988 and 1992.

Most Olympic Medals

The most medals by a female is seven, by Shirley de la Hunty (Australia), with three gold, one silver and three bronze in 1948, 1952 and 1956. A re read of the photo finish indicated that she was third, not fourth, in the 1948 200m event, thus unofficially making her medal count eight. Irena Szewinska (Poland), the only female athlete to win a medal in four successive games, also won seven medals (three gold, two silver and two bronze in 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1996), as did Merlene Ottey (Jamaica), with two silver and five bronze in 1980, 1984, 1992 and 1996.

Most Wins At One Games

The most medals at individual events is four, by Alvin Kraenzlein (USA) in 1900 (60 m, 110m hurdles, 200m hurdles and long jump.

Oldest and Youngest Olympic Champions

The oldest female champion was Lia Manoliu (Romania), who was 36 years 176 days old when she won the discus in Mexico in 1968.

The youngest gold medallist was Barbara Jones (USA), who was a member of the winning 4x100m relay team at Helsinki, Finland, at the age of 15years 123 days in July 1952.

The youngest male champion was Robert Mathias (USA), who won the decathlon aged 17 years 263 days in London , UK, in 1948.