Putting Politics Aside – The US Is the Most Successful Country in Olympic History

The Olympics have always been a crucial component of nationalism, patriotism, and soft power on the global stage, first with the US competing against the USSR and now with the US competing against China and Russia. US Olympic success stems from hard work, fair selection, the world’s best feeder system, and an American spirit of patriotism and perseverance. The US should not allow athletes to disrespect the flag, and DEI should not play any role in selecting athletes, including at the high school and university levels. Furthermore, the emasculation of boys, the increased prevalence of online activities, the lack of support for youth sports, and the widespread use of pharmaceutical drugs to decrease testosterone and energy levels in children are weakening the nation. Up until now, the US has been the best, and we should strive to keep it that way.

Every four years, China claims they will beat the US in the Summer Olympics. However, they have only won the gold medal count once, in 2008, in Beijing, where they could capitalize on the built-in advantages granted to the hosting country, and also cheat.

The United States is the most successful country in Olympic history. As of the end of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, approximately 5,325 gold medals and 16,725 total medals have been awarded in all Summer Olympic Games. The United States has won 1,174 gold medals and a total of 2,980 medals, making it the most successful country in Olympic history.

From the first modern Olympics in 1896 until World War II, the US won the gold medal count in all but three Olympiads: 1900, which was won by France; 1908 by the UK; and 1936 by Germany. Post-World War II, through the collapse of the USSR, the United States and the USSR alternated dominance, with the Soviets winning the gold count six times and the US winning five times.

In 1992, the gold medal count was won by a synthetic, nonsense team called the Unified Team, composed of former Soviet Union states. This team, when viewed on a map, is not a country and never has been. This win suggests that when a whole bunch of countries total their medal counts, and the US has an off year, they can win.

Since then, the US has won all but one, with the US winning five times and China just once, in 2008. In the first days of each Olympiad, the US usually lags in the gold medal count, coming in as low as fifth or sixth. This is because of the schedule of swimming and running events. As the swimming events increase towards days three and four of the Olympiad, the US medal count rises. Currently, the US is two golds behind China, with several days of swimming and a host of running events yet to come.

An odd anomaly about the US is the frequency with which it wins the total medal count. Currently, the US has 50% more total medals than China, while China leads in gold.

Detractors often claim that the US only wins because of its larger population. However, if that were the case, medal counts would align with population size, meaning India and China would earn more than the US, followed by Indonesia, Pakistan, and Nigeria. Yet, with the exception of the US and China, other countries with large populations are infamous for their poor performance in the Olympics. For instance, Bangladesh, which has never won an Olympic gold medal, has a larger population than Russia, a gold medal powerhouse. This discrepancy highlights that factors beyond population size, such as investment in sports infrastructure, training programs, and a culture that promotes athletic excellence, play a crucial role in Olympic success.

The US has athletes who receive superior training. No matter where you are born in the world, if you wanted to be an Olympic swimmer or runner, you would choose the USA for your training over Bangladesh or Indonesia. In fact, even for sports where the US is not always the winner, with few exceptions such as table tennis, you would still choose training in the US over most other countries. The superior infrastructure, experienced coaches, and comprehensive support systems in the US make it a preferred destination for aspiring Olympians globally.

Another strength, of the US, is the selection process. In the United States, a significant number of children participate in scholastic and collegiate sports. The US is essentially the only nation that has a widespread system of scholastic and collegiate sports feeding into the Olympics. According to recent data, approximately 53.8% of children aged 6 to 17, which equates to about 26.8 million kids, played on a sports team or took sports lessons in 2022. At the collegiate level, the NCAA reports that there are roughly 480,000 student-athletes competing across various sports.

US wrestler Jordan Burroughs serves as a prime example of how stringent U.S. competition is and how difficult it can be to make the Olympic team. Jordan Burroughs is considered the most successful wrestler still competing, with a remarkable record that includes an Olympic gold medal (2012), World Championship gold medals in 2017 and 2021, bronze medals in 2018 and 2019, Pan American Championship gold medals from 2020 to 2023, and World Cup gold medals in 2018 and 2019. And yet, he still had to compete for a spot on the 2024 Olympics and failed to make the team.

Sadly, the Olympics is another area where the US may fail if the liberals have their way. Allowing men to compete in women’s sports or selecting athletes based on diversity, rather than analytics, will hamstring the US’s ability to continue to dominate. Allowing our athletes to kneel rather than salute the flag, turning the Olympics into a woke propaganda tool, will destroy the spirit of the games and allow countries like China and Russia to surpass the US.

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