The USA has won more Summer Olympics medals than any other nation, amassing 2,298 medals (931 gold, 729 silver and 638 bronze) from the first modern Olympics in 1896 to the 2008 Olympic Games held in Beijing.

The USSR lies in second place with a total of 1,010 medals (395 gold, 319 silver, 296 bronze) from just nine Olympics (1952–1980 and 1988). This total does not include medals won by Russia (1908–1912), the Unified Team (1992) or the Russian Federation (1996–2008).

Third place goes to Germany, with a total of 852 medals (247 gold, 284 silver, 321 bronze). The total includes medals won by Germany (1896–1912, 1928–1936, 1952, 1992–2008), the United Team of Germany (1956–1964) and the FRD/West Germany (1968–1976, 1984–1988). It does not include medals won by the GDR/East Germany (1968–1980, 1988).