Boys

• Michael Phelps – This swimming champion from America won a total of 16 Olympic medals in total from 2004–2008 and returns this year to try and win some more.
• Paavo Nurmi – From Finland, Paavo scooped an impressive 12 Olympic medals in the games between 1920–1928.
• Mark Spitz – A name everyone remembers, this American swimmer was known as Mark the Shark. He won an impressive 11 Olympic medals during his athletic career.
• Carl Lewis – Fellow American Carl won a total of 10 Olympic medals for his efforts in Athletics through his career of 1984–1996.
• Bjørn Dæhlie – The most successful winter Olympics competitor of all time, Norwegian Bjørn won 12 medals for cross country skiing from 1992–1998.
• Sawao Kato – From Japan, Sawao achieved 12 Olympic medals for gymnastics between 1968–1976.
• Matt Biondi – American swimmer, Matt achieved an impressive 11 medals between 1984 and 1992.
• Ray Ewry – Fellow American sport star, Ray Ewry got eight medals for his efforts in Athletics in the Olympic games from 1900–1908
• Nikolai Andrianov – Talented Soviet Union gymnast, Nikolai won 15 medals from 1972–1980.
• Boris Shakhlin – Boris, also a gymnast from the Soviet Union won 13 medals for his efforts in games from 1956–1964.
• Anthony Joshua – Team GB’s final gold medal winner at the 2012 Olympics, Anthony Joshua clinched the gold for super-heavyweight boxing.
• Mo Farah – At London 2012, Mo became the first British athlete to win gold in the 10,000m race. He also went on to win gold in the 5,000m race in the same tournament.
• Luke Campbell – Luke struck gold at London 2012 in his bantamweight boxing bout against Irishman John Joe Nevin.
• Ed McKeever – Nicknamed the ‘Usain Bolt of the waterways’, Ed finished first in the K1 200m canoe sprint at London 2012.
• Sir Chris Hoy – One of the UK’s greatest Olympians, cyclist Sir Chris Hoy won his 6th gold medal at London 2012.
• Alistair Brownlee – Alistair won gold in the triathlon, winning by a very impressive 11 seconds!
• Ben Maher, Nick Skelton, Peter Charles and Scott Brash – Ben, Nick, Peter and Scott won gold for Team GB in equestrianism (team showjumping) at London 2012.
• Jason Keny – Jason Kenny won 2 golds at London 2012 in cycling, showing Team GB they made the right decision to select him instead of defending champion Sir Chris Hoy!
• Andy Murray – Scots tennis sensation Andy Murray overcame his Wimbledon nemesis Roger Federer to strike gold at Lonon 2012.
• Ben Ainslie – 35-year-old Ben became the greatest ever sailing Olympian at London 2012 after he won his fourth gold medal.
• Greg Rutherford – Despite injuries that plagued his recent career, long jumper Greg managed to win gold during London 2012.
• Andy Triggs Hodge, Pete Reed, Tom James and Alex Gregory – Andy, Pete, Tom and Alex won gold at rowing (men’s 4) at London 2012, which Team GB has won the event at 4 consecutive Olympic tournaments!
• Philip Hindes, Chris Hoy and Jason Kenny – Philip, Jason and, of course, Sir Chris clinched the gold medal for cycling (team sprint) at London 2012.
• Ed Clancy, Steven Burke, Geraint Thomas and Peter Kennaugh – Ed, Steven, Geraint and Peter obliterated their own world record to earn gold medals for cycling (team pursuit) at London 2012.
• Peter Wilson – Early in 2012, Peter broke the world record for shooting (double trap). At London 2012, his hard work paid off when he won the gold.
• Tim Baillie and Etienne Stott – Tim and Etienne struck gold for Team GB at London 2012 for canoeing (double), despite Etienne being involved in a career-threatening crash just 15 months previously.
• Bradley Wiggins – 31-year-old Bradley Wiggins won gold at cycling (time trial) at London 2012, taking his total gold medal tally to 7.
• Helen Glover and Heather Stanning – Helen and Heather clinched gold at London 2012, following a stellar performance in the rowing (pair) event.
• Johnnie Peacock – 19-year-old Johnnie clinched the gold medal in the men’s 100m (T44) in the Paralympic games tournament in 2012.
• Mickey Bushell – Mickey came first in the men’s 100m (T53) in London 2012′s Paralympic games, earning a well-deserved gold medal.
• Richard Whitehead – Another athletic gold medal for Team GB came during the Paralympics, when Richard Whitehead won the men’s 200m (T42).
• David Weir – David Weir procured no less than 4 gold medals for Team GB at the Paralympic games in 2012, winning the men’s 500m (T54), the men’s marathon (T54), the men’s 1500m (T54) and the men’s 800m (T54).
• Aled Davies – Aled saw gold during London’s Paralympic games, winning the men’s discus throw (F42) with 46.14m.
• David Stone – David struck gold at the London Paralympics when he narrowly beat Italy’s Giorgio Farroni in the Mixed T1-2 cycling road race.
• Anthony Kappes – Anthony struck gold at the 2012 Paralympics when he came in first at the men’s individual B sprint (cycling track).
• Mark Lee Colbourne – Mark clinched the gold when emerged victorious in th men’s individual C1 pursuit (cycle track) at the 2012 Paralympics.
• Neil Fachie – Neil earned his gold medal when he won the Men’s Individual B 1000m Time Trial (cycling track) at London’s Paralympic games in 2012.
• Josef Craig – Swimmer Josef sealed himself a gold medal when he won the men’s 400m freestyle (S7).
• Jonathan Fox – Paralympian swimmer Jonathan struck gold in 2012 when he came first in the men’s 100m backstroke (S7).
• Oliver Hynd – Another British Paralymic swimmer that earned gold in 2012, teenager Oliver won the men’s 200m individual medley (SM8).

Girls

• Larisa Latynina – from the Soviet Union brought back an impressive 18 medals for gymnastics between 1956–1964.
• Brigit Fischer – A German Olympian, Brigit brought back 12 medals for canoeing between the years of 1980–2004.
• Jenny Thomson – Swimmer, Jenny, brought back 12 medals for America in the Olympic games between 1992–2004.
• Věra Čáslavská – Czechoslovakian Věra, won 11 medals for her efforts in gymnastics between 1960–1968.
• Lyubov Yegorova – Russian athlete, Lyabov won an impressive nine medals for cross country skiing from 1992–1994.
• Kristin Otto – From Germany, Kirstin won six medals for swimming in the 1988 Olympic games.
• Lidiya Skoblikova – Speed skater, Lidiya from the Soviet Union won six medals in the games between 1960–1964.
• Amy Van Dyken – American swimmer, Amy brought home six medals from the games in 1996–2000.
• Ágnes Keleti – Hungararian gymnast, Ágnes, won 10 medals in the games from 1952–1956.
• Nadia Comăneci – Between 1976 and 1980, Romanian gymnast, Nadia, won nine medals.
• Jade Jones – Teenage taekwondo sensation Jade won gold in her bout against Hou Yzhuo at London 2012.
• Charlotte Dujardin, Carl Hester and Laura Bechtolsheimer - Charlotte, Carl and Laura achieved Britain’s best result since 1908 in equestrianism (team dressage) at London 2012.
• Laura Trott – Cyclist Laura Trott became a double gold medal winner at London 2012, narrowly beating America’s Sarah Hammer.
• Jessica Ennis – 26-year-old Jessica won the hearts of the nation at London 2012, when she produced an outstanding performance in the 2-day heptathlon, deservedly winning gold.
• Jo Rowsell, Laura Trott and Dani King – Jo, Laura (again!) and Dani surpassed the world record in cycling (team pursuit) at London 2012.
• Katherine Copeland and Sophie Hosking – Katherine and Sophie took the gold for rowing (lightweight double sculls) at London 2012, becoming the first British women to win gold at the event.
• Victoria Pendleton – Victoria earned her second Olympic gold at London 2012, defeating Australian rival Anna Meares in the cycling (keirin) event.
• Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins – After years of silver medals and near-misses, Katherine and Anna finally saw gold at London 2012 for rowing (double sculls).
• Danielle Brown – Danielle struck gold for the women’s compound archery in the Paralympics 2012.
• Hannah Cockroft – Hannah clinched 2 athletic gold medals at London’s Paralympic games, when she won both the women’s 100m (T34) and 200m (T34).
• Josie Pearson – Josie earned her gold medal at the Paralympics in 2012 when she smashed the world record for the women’s discus throw (F51, F52, F53).
• Sarah Storey – Sarah earned herself 4 gold medals at London 2012′s Paralympics, coming first in the women’s individual C4-5 road race and C5 time trial (road) as well as  the women’s individual C4-5 500m time trial (track) and C5 pursuit (track).
• Sophie Christiansen – Sophie grabbed no less than 3 gold medals at the 2012 Paralympics, coming first in 3 equestrian events: mixed individual championship test, Grade 1a; mixed individual freestyle test, Grade 1a; and in the mixed team championship event (with Lee Pearson, Sophie Wells and Deborah Criddle).
• Natasha Baker – Natasha secured 2 gold medals at the 2012 Paralympics, coming first in equestrian events  mixed individual championship test, Grade II and mixed individual freestyle test, Grade II.
• Pamela Relph, Naomi Riches, David Smith, James Roe and Lily van den Broecke – Team GB’s Paralympic rowing team secured gold in London 2012, in the mixed cox four (LTAMix4+) event.
• Helena Lucas – Helena snatched a gold medal at the Paralympic games in London when she secured victory in the Single-Person Keelboat (2.4mR) sailing event.
• Jessica-Jane Applegate – 16-year-old Jessica-Jane grabbed her first gold medal at the London 2012 Paralympics, winning the women’s 200m freestyle (S14).
• Eleanor Simmonds – Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Simmonds secured 2 gold medals for swimming at the London 2012 Paralympics, winning both the women’s 400m freestyle (S6) and the women’s 200m individual medley (SM6).
• Heather Frederiksen – Heather struck gold at the London 2012 Paralympics, winning the women’s 100m backstroke (S8) by just over a second.

Photography: Marco Paköeningrat @Flickr

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