Olympic Spotlight: The Big Ten's Greatest Olympians

BigTen.org takes a look at the former conference representatives who captured four or more Olympic medals in their career



Aug. 7, 2008

Throughout Olympic history, 14 Big Ten representatives have captured four or more medals in their respective careers. As we prepare to watch Michigan volunteer assistant swimming coach Michael Phelps take his expected swim into the record books at the 2008 Beijing Games, we take a look at the 13 other conference student-athletes who not only made the Big Ten proud, but their country as well.

11 MEDALS - 2 OLYMPICS
MARK SPITZ, SWIMMING, INDIANA, 1968-72
1968 - Mexico City (Gold-2, Silver, Bronze)
1972 - Munich (Gold-7)

Note: Olympic Spotlight - July 8

10 MEDALS - 4 OLYMPICS
RAY EWRY, JUMPS, PURDUE, 1892-96
1900 - Paris (Gold-3)
1904 - St. Louis (Gold-3)
1906 - Athens (Gold-2) - Intercalated Games
1908 - London (Gold-2)

Note: Olympic Spotlight - July 17

8 MEDALS - 2 OLYMPICS
MICHAEL PHELPS, SWIMMING, MICHIGAN, 2004-Present (Volunteer Assistant)
2000 - Sydney
2004 - Athens (Gold-6, Bronze-2)
2008 - Beijing

Note: Olympic Spotlight - July 8

6 MEDALS - 3 OLYMPICS
RALPH ROSE, THROWS, MICHIGAN, 1901-05
1904 - St. Louis (Gold, Silver, Bronze)
1908 - London (Gold)
1912 - Stockholm (Gold, Silver)

Note: 1st shot putter to break 50 feet; 1909 world record of 51' 0" lasted for 16 years

5 MEDALS - 2 OLYMPICS
MALVIN WHITFIELD, TRACK, OHIO STATE, 1946-49
1948 - London (Gold-2, Bronze)
1952 - Helsinki (Gold, Silver)

Note: 2-Time NCAA Champion at OSU (800m); 1954 Sullivan Award winner

4 MEDALS - 1 OLYMPICS
JESSE OWENS, TRACK, OHIO STATE, 1933-36
1936 - Berlin (Gold-4)

Note: Black History Month Feature

4 MEDALS - 1 OLYMPICS
CHARLIE HICKOX, SWIMMING, INDIANA, 1967-69
1968 - Mexico City (Gold-3, Silver)

Note: 3-Time NCAA Champion set eight world records within 16 months in 1967 and 1968

4 MEDALS - 1 OLYMPICS
JIM MONTGOMERY, SWIMMING, INDIANA, 1974-77
1976 - Montreal (Gold-3, Bronze)

Note: 1st man ever to break 50 seconds in the 100-meter freestyle

4 MEDALS - 1 OLYMPICS
KATHLEEN ELLIS, SWIMMING, INDIANA, 1968-72
1964 - Tokyo (Gold-2, Bronze-2)

Note: Won gold in both 4x100-meter medley and freestyle relays; Took bronze in 100-meter free and fly

4 MEDALS - 2 OLYMPICS
ARCHIE HAHN, SPRINTS, MICHIGAN, 1901-05
1904 - St. Louis (Gold-3)
1906 - Athens (Gold-1) - Intercalated Games

Note: Olympic Spotlight - July 29

4 MEDALS - 2 OLYMPICS
FORD HIROSHI KONNO, SWIMMING, OHIO STATE, 1952-55
1952 - Helsinki (Gold-2, Silver)
1956 - Melbourne (Silver)

Note: Set WR in 200-meter (2:03.9) and 400-meter (4:26.7) freestyles in 1954

4 MEDALS - 2 OLYMPICS
HERB MCKENLEY, TRACK, ILLINOIS, 1948-52
1948 - London (Silver)
1952 - Helsinki (Gold, Silver-2)

Note: Jamaican athlete became only person in history to hold WR in 100, 200 and 400 meters at same time

4 MEDALS - 2 OLYMPICS
BOB WINDLE, SWIMMING, INDIANA, 1966-68
1964 - Tokyo (Gold, Bronze)
1968 - Mexico City (Silver, Bronze)

Note: Australian won medals in both the shortest (100m) and longest (1500m) distances in Olympics

4 MEDALS - 3 OLYMPICS
GREG BARTON, KAYAK, MICHIGAN, 1980-83
1984 - Los Angeles (Bronze)
1988 - Seoul (Gold-2)
1992 - Barcelona (Bronze)

Note: Selected as one of the 100 Golden Olympians at the 1996 Olympic Games
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