Data: Ohio among top five states that have produced most gold medals in the Olympics

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A recent study found Ohio ranks in the top five states that have produced the most gold medals for Team USA in the Olympics. 

The United States is the country with the most all-time gold medals, with some states contributing more than others. Team USA will continue competing to win more gold at the upcoming Olympic games, taking place in Paris from July 26 to Aug. 11.

With the 2024 Olympics under three weeks away, The Sport Geek compiled data from the official Olympic Games records on the number of gold medals that have been produced by each state, per athletes’ birthplace, since the start of the games in 1896.

Ohio took the third place spot, with 44 gold medals. Simone Biles, born in Columbus in 1997, is the most decorated athlete from the state. In the 2016 Rio Olympics, the gymnast won four gold medals and a bronze medal. In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she won a bronze and a silver medal. 

Taking the No. 1 spot is California, which has produced 127 gold medals. The most decorated Olympian born in the state is swimmer Mark Spitz. He won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Games. 

In second place is New York, with 70 gold medals. Swimmer Ryan Lochte is the most decorated athlete from the state. He is tied in tenth for all-time Olympic medals won and is the second-most decorated Team USA athlete. Lochte is in possession of six gold, three silver, and three bronze medals.

The state with the fourth-most gold medals is Illinois, which has produced 40 gold medals. The athlete with the most medals in the state is track and field star Jackie Joyner-Kersee. She won three gold, one silver, and two bronze medals from 1988 to 1996. 

In fifth place is Texas, with 34 gold medals. The most decorated athlete in the Lone Star State is Carl Lewis, a track and field competitor, who is one of only four Olympic athletes to win nine gold medals.

Completing the top 10 are Maryland (31), Pennsylvania (31), Florida (23), Michigan (23) and New Jersey (23). The states that have produced the lowest number of gold medals are North Dakota (0), New Hampshire (0), Wyoming (1), Rhode Island (1) and Maine (1).