List of medal sweeps in Olympic athletics

A podium sweep is when one team wins all available medals in a single event in a sporting event. At the highest level, that would be when one nation wins all the medals in the Summer Olympics Athletics.[1] Many Olympic sports or events do not allow three entries into a single event in the Olympics, making a sweep impossible. But in Athletics (excluding relays) the maximum for a single country is three.

In the beginning, before the Olympics became a global event, sweeps were more common amongst fewer competing countries and larger numbers of entries from a single country. After the 1908 Olympics, a sweep became an increasingly treasured status symbol of national dominance in an event. 1964 was the first Olympiad to have no sweeps. Since then there were no sweeps in 1972, 1996 and 2000.

Sweeps have happened in every long term event in the individual program, except the 5000 metres. It has happened eight times in the 200 metres and 110 metres hurdles, seven in the Shot Put. A steeplechase event has had a sweep five times, by four countries.

Ray Ewry led 5 sweeps, including three from 1904, with Irving Baxter, Charles King and Joseph Stadler joining him in two each and Robert Garrett in one, plus adding a different sweep in 1900. That other sweep joined Josiah McCracken who was part of a different sweep. Ellery Clark, Robert Garrett and James Connolly swept two events together in 1896. Archie Hahn, Nate Cartmell and William Hogenson duplicated that in 1904. More recently, Carl Lewis has led three Olympic sweeps, Mike Powell has finished behind him in two. Yuriy Sedykh, Glenn Davis and Lee Calhoun have also led two sweeps, Sedykh later a participant in a third in 1988 that involved a reordering of the same three from 1980. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce led the Jamaican 100m sweep in 2008 and participated in the 2020 Tokyo 100m sweep, with a silver.

Olympiad Event Country Gold Silver Bronze Source
1896
Athens
High jump
details
  United States (USA) Ellery Clark 1.81 m OR James Connolly 1.65 m none awarded [2][3]
Robert Garrett 1.65 m
Long jump
details
Ellery Clark 6.35 m OR Robert Garrett 6.00 m James Connolly 5.84 m [4][5]
1900
Paris
110 metres hurdles
details
  United States (USA) Alvin Kraenzlein 15.4 s OR John McLean at 3 yards Frederick Moloney at 1 foot [6][7]
4000 metres steeplechase
details
  Great Britain (GBR) John Rimmer 12:58.4 Charles Bennett 12:58.6 Sidney Robinson 12:58.8
Triple jump
details
  United States (USA) Myer Prinstein 14.47 m James Connolly 13.97 m Lewis Sheldon 13.64 m
Standing triple jump
details
  United States (USA) Ray Ewry 10.58 m Irving Baxter 9.95 m Robert Garrett 9.50 m
Standing high jump
details
  United States (USA) Ray Ewry 1.655 m Irving Baxter 1.525 m Lewis Sheldon 1.500 m
Shot put
details
  United States (USA) Richard Sheldon 14.10 m Josiah McCracken 12.85 m Robert Garrett 12.37 m
Hammer throw
details
  United States (USA) John Flanagan 51.01 m Truxtun Hare 46.26 m Josiah McCracken 43.58 m
1904
St. Louis
60 metres
details
  United States (USA) Archie Hahn 7.0 s William Hogenson 7.2 s Fay Moulton 7.2 s
100 metres
details
  United States (USA) Archie Hahn 11.0 s Nate Cartmell 11.2 s William Hogenson 11.2 s
200 metres
details
  United States (USA) Archie Hahn 21.6 s Nate Cartmell 21.9 s William Hogenson
400 metres
details
  United States (USA) Harry Hillman 49.2 s Frank Waller 49.9 s Herman Groman 50.0 s
800 metres
details
  United States (USA) James Lightbody 1:56.0 Howard Valentine 1:56.3 Emil Breitkreutz 1:56.4
1500 metres
details
  United States (USA) James Lightbody 4:05.4 Frank Verner 4:06.8 Lacey Hearn
Marathon
details
  United States (USA) Thomas Hicks 3:28:53 Albert Corey 3:34:52* Arthur Newton 3:47:33
110 metres hurdles
details
  United States (USA) Fred Schule 16.0 s Thaddeus Shideler 16.3 s Lesley Ashburner 16.4 s
200 metres hurdles
details
  United States (USA) Harry Hillman 24.6 s Frank Castleman 24.9 s George Poage
400 metres hurdles
details
  United States (USA) Harry Hillman 53.0 s Frank Waller 53.2 s George Poage 56.8 s
Long jump
details
  United States (USA) Myer Prinstein 7.34 m Daniel Frank 6.89 m Robert Stangland 6.88 m
Triple jump
details
  United States (USA) Myer Prinstein 14.35 m Fred Englehardt 13.90 m Robert Stangland 13.36 m
Pole vault
details
  United States (USA) Charles Dvorak LeRoy Samse Louis Wilkins
Standing long jump
details
  United States (USA) Ray Ewry Charles King John Biller
Standing triple jump
details
  United States (USA) Ray Ewry Charles King Joseph Stadler
Standing high jump
details
  United States (USA) Ray Ewry Joseph Stadler Lawson Robertson
Shot put
details
  United States (USA) Ralph Rose Wesley Coe Lawrence Feuerbach
Hammer throw
details
  United States (USA) John Flanagan John DeWitt Ralph Rose
Triathlon
details
  United States (USA) Max Emmerich John Grieb William Merz
1908
London
110 metres hurdles
details
  United States (USA) Forrest Smithson 15.0 WR John Garrels 15.7 Arthur Shaw 15.8
10 miles walk
details
  Great Britain (GBR) George Larner 1:15:57.4 WR Ernest Webb 1:17:31.0 Edward Spencer 1:21:20.2
Discus throw
details
  United States (USA) Martin Sheridan 40.89 m OR Merritt Giffin 40.70 m Bill Horr 39.45 m
1912
Stockholm
100 metres
details
  United States (USA) Ralph Craig Alvah Meyer Donald Lippincott
800 metres
details
  United States (USA) Ted Meredith Mel Sheppard Ira Davenport
110 metres hurdles
details
  United States (USA) Fred Kelly James Wendell Martin Hawkins
Triple jump
details
  Sweden (SWE) Gustaf Lindblom Georg Åberg Erik Almlöf
Shot put
details
  United States (USA) Pat McDonald Ralph Rose Lawrence Whitney
Two handed javelin throw
details
  Finland (FIN) Julius Saaristo Väinö Siikaniemi Urho Peltonen
1920
Antwerp
Javelin throw
details
  Finland (FIN) Jonni Myyrä Urho Peltonen Pekka Johansson
400 metres hurdles
details
  United States (USA) Frank Loomis John Norton August Desch
1924
Paris
Pole vault
details
  United States (USA) Lee Barnes Glenn Graham James Brooker
Shot put
details
  United States (USA) Bud Houser Glenn Hartranft Ralph Hills
1928
Amsterdam
3000 metres steeplechase
details
  Finland (FIN) Toivo Loukola 9:21.8 WR Paavo Nurmi 9:31.2 Ove Andersen 9:35.6
Pole vault
details
  United States (USA) Sabin Carr 4.20 William Droegemuller 4.10 Charles McGinnis 3.95
1932
Los Angeles
200 meters
details
  United States (USA) Eddie Tolan 21.2 George Simpson 21.4 Ralph Metcalfe 21.5
Javelin throw
details
  Finland (FIN) Matti Järvinen 72.71 m Matti Sippala 69.80 m Eino Penttilä 68.70 m
1936
Berlin
10,000 metres
details
  Finland (FIN) Ilmari Salminen 30:15.4 Arvo Askola 30:15.6 Volmari Iso-Hollo 30:20.2
High jump
details
  United States (USA) Cornelius Johnson 2.03 m Dave Albritton 2.00 m Delos Thurber 2.00 m
Decathlon
details
  United States (USA) Glenn Morris 7900 Bob Clark 7601 Jack Parker 7275
1948
London
110 metres hurdles
details
  United States (USA) William Porter 13.9 Clyde Scott 14.1 Craig Dixon 14.1
3000 metres steeplechase
details
  Sweden (SWE) Tore Sjöstrand 9:04.6 Erik Elmsäter 9:08.2 Göte Hagström 9:11.8
Shot put
details
  United States (USA) Wilbur Thompson 17.12 m Jim Delaney 16.68 m Jim Fuchs 16.42 m
1952
Helsinki
200 metres
details
  United States (USA) Andy Stanfield 20.7 Thane Baker 20.8 James Gathers 20.8
110 metres hurdles
details
  United States (USA) Harrison Dillard 13.7 Jack Davis 13.7 Arthur Barnard 14.1
Shot put
details
  United States (USA) Parry O'Brien 17.41 m Darrow Hooper 17.39 m Jim Fuchs 17.06 m
Decathlon
details
  United States (USA) Bob Mathias 7,887 pts Milt Campbell 6,975 pts Floyd Simmons 6,788 pts
1956
Melbourne
200 metres
details
  United States (USA) Bobby Morrow 20.6
(OR)
Andy Stanfield 20.7 Thane Baker 20.9
110 metres hurdles
details
  United States (USA) Lee Calhoun 13.5
(OR)
Jack Davis 13.5 (OR) Joel Shankle 14.1
400 metres hurdles
details
  United States (USA) Glenn Davis 50.1 (=OR) Eddie Southern 50.8 Joshua Culbreath 51.6
20 kilometres walk
details
  Soviet Union (URS) Leonid Spirin 1:31:27.4 Antanas Mikėnas 1:32:03.0 Bruno Junk 1:32:12.0
Discus throw
details
  United States (USA) Al Oerter 56.36 m (OR) Fortune Gordien 54.81 m Desmond Koch 54.40 m
1960
Rome
110 metres hurdles
details
  United States (USA) Lee Calhoun 13.8 William May 13.8 Hayes Jones 14.0
400 metres hurdles
details
  United States (USA) Glenn Davis 49.3 (OR) Clifton Cushman 49.6 Dick Howard 49.7
Shot put
details
  United States (USA) Bill Nieder 19.68 m (OR) Parry O'Brien 19.11 m Dallas Long 19.01 m
Discus throw
details
  United States (USA) Al Oerter 59.18 m (OR) Rink Babka 58.02 m Dick Cochran 57.16 m
1968
Mexico City
400 metres
details
  United States (USA) Lee Evans 43.86 (WR) Larry James 43.97 Ron Freeman 44.41
1976
Montreal
Hammer throw
details
  Soviet Union (URS) Yuriy Sedykh 77.52 m Aleksey Spiridonov 76.08 m Anatoliy Bondarchuk 75.48 m
1980
Moscow
Hammer throw
details
  Soviet Union (URS) Yuriy Sedykh 81.80 m WR Sergey Litvinov 80.64 m Jüri Tamm 78.96 m
1984
Los Angeles
200 metres
details
  United States (USA) Carl Lewis 19.80 OR Kirk Baptiste 19.96 Thomas Jefferson 20.26
1988
Seoul
400 metres
details
  United States (USA) Steve Lewis 43.87 Butch Reynolds 43.93 Danny Everett 44.09
Long jump
details
  United States (USA) Carl Lewis 8.72 m Mike Powell 8.49 m Larry Myricks 8.27 m
Pole vault
details
  Soviet Union (URS) Sergey Bubka 5.90 m Radion Gataullin 5.85 m Grigoriy Yegorov 5.80 m
Hammer throw
details
  Soviet Union (URS) Sergey Litvinov 84.80 m OR Yuriy Sedykh 83.76 m Jüri Tamm 81.16 m
1992
Barcelona
3000 metres steeplechase
details
  Kenya (KEN) Matthew Birir 8:08.84 Patrick Sang 8:09.55 William Mutwol 8:10.74
Long jump
details
  United States (USA) Carl Lewis 8.67 m Mike Powell 8.64 m Joe Greene 8.34 m
Hammer throw
details
  Unified Team (EUN) Andrey Abduvaliyev 82.54 m Igor Astapkovich 81.96 m Igor Nikulin 81.38 m
2004
Athens
200 metres
details
  United States (USA) Shawn Crawford 19.79 Bernard Williams 20.01 Justin Gatlin 20.03
400 metres
details
  United States (USA) Jeremy Wariner 44.00 Otis Harris 44.16 Derrick Brew 44.42
3000 metres steeplechase
details
  Kenya (KEN) Ezekiel Kemboi 8:05.81 Brimin Kipruto 8:06.11 Paul Kipsiele Koech 8:06.64
2008
Beijing
400 metres
details
  United States (USA) LaShawn Merritt 43.75
Jeremy Wariner 44.74 David Neville 44.80
400 metres hurdles
details
  United States (USA) Angelo Taylor 47.25 Kerron Clement 47.98 Bershawn Jackson 48.06
2012
London
200 metres
details
  Jamaica (JAM) Usain Bolt 19.32 Yohan Blake 19.44 Warren Weir 19.84

Women

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In women's sports, sweeps have only occurred 9 times. The Pentathlon and the 100 metres are the only events to have more than one occurrence.

Olympiad Event Country Gold Silver Bronze
1952
Helsinki
Discus throw
details
  Soviet Union (URS) Nina Romashkova 51.42 m Elizaveta Bagryantseva 47.08 m Nina Dumbadze 46.29 m
1976
Montreal
Pentathlon
details
  East Germany (GDR) Siegrun Siegl 4745 Christine Laser 4745 Burglinde Pollak 4740
1980
Moscow
800 metres
details
  Soviet Union (URS) Nadiya Olizarenko 1:53.43 WR Olga Mineeva 1:54.81 Tatyana Providokhina 1:55.46
Pentathlon
details
  Soviet Union (URS) Nadiya Tkachenko 5083 WR Olga Rukavishnikova 4937 Olga Kuragina 4875
2004
Athens
Long jump
details
  Russia (RUS) Tatyana Lebedeva 7.07 m Irina Simagina 7.05 m Tatyana Kotova 7.05 m
2008
Beijing
100 metres
details
  Jamaica (JAM) Shelly-Ann Fraser 10.78 Sherone Simpson 10.98 none awarded
Kerron Stewart 10.98
2012
London
20 kilometres walk
details
  China (CHN) Qieyang Shenjie 1:25:16 OR Liu Hong 1:26:00 Lü Xiuzhi 1:27:10
2016
Rio de Janeiro
100 metre hurdles
details
  United States (USA) Brianna Rollins 12.48 Nia Ali 12.59 Kristi Castlin 12.61
2020
Tokyo
100 metres
details
  Jamaica (JAM) Elaine Thompson-Herah 10.61 OR Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce 10.74 Shericka Jackson 10.76

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Jamaicans celebrate Olympic medal sweep in men's 200m - Xinhua | English.news.cn". Archived from the original on 2014-09-20. Retrieved 2013-10-13.
  2. ^ "Athens 1896 Athletics High Jump Men Results". Olympics.com. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Athletics at the 1896 Athens Summer Games: Men's High Jump". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Athens 1896 Athletics Long Jump Men Results". Olympics.com. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Athletics at the 1896 Athens Summer Games: Men's Long Jump". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Paris 1900 Athletics 110m Hurdles Men Results". Olympics.com. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Athletics at the 1900 Paris Summer Games: Men's 110 metres Hurdles Final". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2021.