Which Soviet gymnast won 18 Olympic medals, a record for decades?

Which Soviet gymnast won 18 Olympic medals, a record for decades? Larisa Latynina won 18 Olympic medals for the Soviet Union.

Latynina competed at the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Summer Olympics, winning nine gold, five silver and four bronze medals. Her total included individual events and team competitions, and she earned a medal in every Olympic event she entered except the 1956 balance beam, where she finished fourth.

Her Olympic career was especially remarkable because she won the women’s individual all-around title in 1956 and 1960, then finished second behind Věra Čáslavská in 1964. She also won the floor exercise at all three Games. Latynina’s 18-medal record stood until swimmer Michael Phelps surpassed it in 2012, 48 years after her final Olympics.

A common mix-up is confusing her total Olympic medals with her nine Olympic gold medals. She remains the female gymnast with the most Olympic golds, although the overall Olympic medal record now belongs to Phelps.