2020 Summer Olympics medal table explained

2020 Summer Olympics medals
Award2 Type:Most total medals
Award1 Type:Most gold medals
Award3 Type:Medalling NOCs
Award3 Winner:93
Previous:2016
Main:Olympics medal tables
Next:2024
Location:Tokyo,

The 2020 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan, from 23 July to 8 August 2021. The Games were postponed by one year as part of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports.[1] However, the Games was referred to by its original date in all medals, uniforms, promotional items, and other related media in order to avoid confusion in future years.[2] [3] A total of 11,417 athletes from 206 nations participated in 339 events in 33 sports across 50 different disciplines.[4]

Overall, the event saw two records: 93 nations received at least one medal, and 65 of them won at least one gold medal.[5] [6] Athletes from the United States won the most medals overall, with 113, and the most gold medals, with 39.[7] Host nation Japan won 27 gold medals, surpassing its gold medal tally of 16 at both the 1964 and 2004 summer editions.[8] Athletes from that nation also won 58 medals overall, which eclipsed its record of 41 overall medals won at the previous Summer Olympics.[9]

American swimmer Caeleb Dressel won the most gold medals at the Games with five.[10] Meanwhile, Australian swimmer Emma McKeon won the greatest number of medals overall, with seven in total.[11] As a result, she tied Soviet gymnast Maria Gorokhovskaya's seven medals at the 1952 Summer edition for most medals won at a single Games by a female athlete.[12] Bermuda, Qatar and the Philippines won their nations' first Olympic gold medals.[13] Meanwhile, Burkina Faso, Turkmenistan and San Marino won their nations' first Olympic medals.[13] [14]

Medals

See also: Olympic medal. The medals used for the 2020 Summer Olympics were designed by Junichi Kawanishi.[15] They were manufactured using metal extracted from recycled small electronic devices donated by the public.[15] The ribbon uses the traditional Japanese design motifs found in, a harmonised chequered pattern, and, a traditional kimono layering technique.[16] [17] The case is manufactured from Japanese ash wood dyed with the same colour as the Olympic emblem. The circular lid and the body of the case can be opened like a ring connected by a magnet.[17] The obverse of the medals features Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, in front of Panathenaic Stadium and the Olympic rings.[18]

As a result of safety protocols stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, athletes were presented with their medals on trays, and were asked to put them on themselves (or each other, in the case of team winners), rather than having them placed around their necks by a dignitary.[19]

Medal table

See also: List of 2020 Summer Olympics medal winners. The medal table is based on information provided by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and is consistent with IOC convention in its published medal tables. By default, the table is ordered by the number of gold medals the athletes from a nation have won, where nation is an entity represented by a National Olympic Committee (NOC). The number of silver medals is taken into consideration next and then the number of bronze medals.

In boxing, judo, karate, taekwondo, and wrestling, two bronze medals are awarded in each weight class.[20] [21] [22] [23] Two gold medals (and no silver) were awarded to Mutaz Essa Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi for a first-place tie in the men's high jump athletics event.[24] Two bronze medals were awarded to Angelina Melnikova and Mai Murakami for a third-place tie in the women's floor gymnastics event.[25]

Key

Changes in medal standings

See also: List of stripped Olympic medals.

Key

Notes and References

  1. News: Blount . Rachel . No fans, no families, no fun? Ready or not, here come the Tokyo Olympics . 15 December 2021 . . 17 July 2021 . 15 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211215120029/https://www.startribune.com/tokyo-olympics-covid-pandemic/600077283/ . live .
  2. News: Maese . Rick . The Olympics Are Finally Here. Here's a Guide to Help You Watch the Tokyo Summer Games. . 9 February 2022 . . 23 July 2021 . 10 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210810215340/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2021/07/22/tokyo-olympics-2021-guide/ . live .
  3. News: Specter . Emma . The Tokyo Olympics Have Officially Been Rescheduled . 9 February 2022 . Vogue . 30 March 2020 . 24 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220324091310/https://www.vogue.com/article/2020-olympics-tokyo-rescheduled-date . live .
  4. News: Axson . Scooby . What to Know About NBC's Coverage of the Tokyo Olympics . 15 December 2021 . USA Today . 20 July 2021 . 15 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211215115055/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2021/07/20/nbcs-2021-tokyo-olympics-coverage-includes-peacock/7791213002/ . live .
  5. News: Rahman . Anisue . Will Bangladesh Ever Realise Its Olympics Dream? . 11 October 2021 . . 12 August 2021 . 6 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211006035856/https://www.thedailystar.net/sports/sports-special/tokyo-olympics-2020/news/will-bangladesh-ever-realise-its-olympics-dream-2150296 . live .
  6. Web site: 2020 Summer Olympics Overview . Olympedia . 9 January 2022 . 19 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211219162109/https://www.olympedia.org/editions/61 . live .
  7. Gastelum . Andrew . Team USA Passes China on Final Day for Most Gold Medals at Tokyo Olympics . 9 October 2021 . . 8 August 2021 . 20 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211020043729/https://www.si.com/olympics/2021/08/08/team-usa-wins-gold-medal-count-tokyo-olympics-china . live .
  8. News: Wade . Stephen . Japan Has Its Best Olympic Medal Haul: 27 Gold, 58 Overall . 11 October 2021 . . 8 August 2021 . 20 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211020094353/https://apnews.com/article/2020-tokyo-olympics-japan-medals-a34e6a9c74600b9c5c1770f67efc8b38 . live .
  9. News: Japan Earns Record Medal Haul at Tokyo Olympics . 9 January 2022 . . 16 August 2021 . 16 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210816015318/https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h00527/japan-earns-record-medal-haul-at-tokyo-olympics.html . live .
  10. Forde . Pat . 2021 Athlete of the Year: Seven-Time Olympic Gold Medalist Caeleb Dressel . 9 February 2022 . Sports Illustrated . 8 December 2021 . 8 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220108125012/https://www.si.com/sportsperson/2021/12/08/caeleb-dressel-tokyo-olympics-si-athete-of-the-year . live .
  11. News: Archibold . Randal C. . With Seven Medals at One Olympics, Emma McKeon Ties a Record . subscription . 11 October 2021 . . 31 July 2021 . 11 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211011013538/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/31/sports/olympics/emma-mckeon-most-medals-olympics.html . live .
  12. News: Harris . Beth . 7th Heaven: Aussie McKeon Leaves Tokyo with 7 Swim Medals . 11 October 2021 . Associated Press . 1 August 2021 . 12 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210912091856/https://apnews.com/article/2020-tokyo-olympics-swimming-sports-australia-abbey-weitzeil-768e041bba191a50c8fd0379082f25d7 . live .
  13. News: Axon . Rachel . US Tops Overall and Gold Medal Count in Tokyo, Thanks in Part to Women's Dominance . 11 October 2021 . USA Today . 8 August 2021 . 17 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210817074851/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2021/08/08/us-led-women-tops-china-final-medal-count-tokyo-olympics/5529603001/ . live .
  14. News: Ndiaga. Thiam. 5 August 2021. Burkina Faso rejoices as Olympic triple jumper Hugues Fabrice Zango delivers first-ever medal. National Post. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Reuters. 5 August 2023.
  15. News: Cannon . Jay . Tokyo 2020 Olympic Medals Made from 80,000 Tons of Recycled Mobile Phones, Electronics . 9 January 2022 . USA Today . 24 July 2019 . 5 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220105114221/https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/07/24/tokyo-2020-olympic-medal-project-recycled-cellphones-electronics/1820927001/ . live .
  16. Web site: Designs of Tokyo 2020's Recycled Medals Unveiled . 9 February 2022 . . 24 July 2019 . 23 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220223105216/https://olympics.com/en/news/designs-of-tokyo-2020-s-recycled-medals-unveiled . live .
  17. News: Holland . Oscar . Tokyo 2020 Unveils Olympic Medals Made from Old Electronics . 9 January 2022 . . 24 July 2019 . 21 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211021131129/https://www.cnn.com/style/article/tokyo-olympic-medal-intl-scli/index.html . live .
  18. Web site: Shankar . Saurabh . Giving medals a green touch – the Tokyo 2020 way . 10 July 2021 . International Olympic Committee . 26 July 2019 . 10 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210710170859/https://olympics.com/en/news/giving-medals-a-green-touch-the-tokyo-2020-way . live .
  19. News: 2021-07-14. How the Olympics will look different this year. 2021-07-24. CTV News. 22 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210722075534/https://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/how-the-olympics-will-look-different-this-year-1.5509775. live.
  20. News: Boxing . 17 February 2021 . NBC Sports . 28 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210128165239/https://www.nbcolympics.com/boxing/ . live .
  21. Web site: International Judo Federation . 17 February 2021 . International Olympic Committee . 25 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201025031247/https://www.olympic.org/international-judo-federation . live .
  22. News: Taekwondo . NBC Sports . 17 February 2021 . 3 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201203164019/https://www.nbcolympics.com/taekwondo/ . live .
  23. News: Wrestling . 17 February 2021 . NBC Sports . 15 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210115151345/https://www.nbcolympics.com/wrestling/ . live .
  24. News: al-Baroudi . Wajih . 2020 Tokyo Olympics: High Jumpers Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar and Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy Share Gold Medal . 9 January 2022 . CBS News . 1 August 2021 . 25 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211225133509/https://www.cbssports.com/olympics/news/2020-tokyo-olympics-high-jumpers-mutaz-essa-barshim-of-qatar-and-gianmarco-tamberi-of-italy-share-gold-medal/ . live .
  25. News: DeMeyer . Tess . The Tie That Couldn't Be Broken: Murakami, Melnikova Both Earn Bronze in Floor Exercise Final . 9 January 2022 . NBC Sports . 2 August 2021 . 10 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220110074756/https://www.nbcolympics.com/news/tie-couldnt-be-broken-murakami-melnikova-both-earn-bronze-floor-exercise-final . live .