Figure skating was first contested as an Olympic sport at the 1908 Summer Olympics, in London, United Kingdom. As this traditional winter sport could be conducted indoors, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved its inclusion in the Summer Olympics program.[1] It was featured a second time at the Antwerp Games,[2] after which it was permanently transferred to the program of the Winter Olympic Games, first held in 1924 in Chamonix, France.[1] In London, figure skating was presented in four events: men's singles, women's singles, men's special figures, and mixed pairs. The special figures contest was won by Russian Nikolai Panin, who gave his country its first ever Olympic gold medal.[3] He remains the event's sole winner, as it was subsequently dropped from the program. Once a demonstration event at Grenoble 1968, ice dancing has been an official medal-awarding Olympic figure skating event since it was introduced in 1976.[2]
Swedish figure skater Gillis Grafström—who competed in four consecutive Olympics, from the 1920 Summer Games to the 1932 Winter Games—is the overall medal leader in the sport, having collected four medals.[4] He is the only man to have won three consecutive singles gold medals, and one of five sportspeople to win medals at both the Summer and Winter Olympics.[5] Grafström followed the footsteps of countryman Ulrich Salchow, the first Olympic champion and creator of the jump bearing his name, who later became president of the International Skating Union (ISU).[6] Eleven figure skaters have won three medals: Sonja Henie (Norway) and Irina Rodnina (Soviet Union), winners of three consecutive titles in the ladies' singles (1928–1936) and pairs (1972–1980) events, respectively; Pierre Brunet and wife Andrée Brunet (France), 1928–1932 pairs champions; Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo (China), the 2010 pairs gold medalists; ice dancers Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (Soviet Union and Unified Team); Artur Dmitriev (Unified Team and Russia); Evgeni Plushenko (Russia) and Beatrix Loughran (United States), medalist in both singles and pairs.[7]
Besides Grafström and Henie, only Karl Schäfer (Austria), Dick Button (United States), and Katarina Witt (East Germany) successfully defended their singles titles. Rodnina's two-time partner Alexander Zaitsev, Ludmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov (Soviet Union), in the pairs, and Oksana Grishuk and Evgeny Platov (Russia), in ice dance, also retained their gold medals. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov are also two-time Olympic champions: they won the pairs competition in 1988 for the Soviet Union, and repeated the victory at the Lillehammer Games, as professional skaters representing Russia.[8]
As of the 2010 Winter Olympics, the United States leads the medal count with a total of 46 medals: 14 gold, 16 silver, and 16 bronze. Canada and Russia are tied with 22 medals—although Russia has won more gold medals (12 versus 4)—, while Austria is the third National Olympic Committee (NOC) with most medals, at 20. On two occasions, one NOC accomplished a medal sweep: Sweden in the 1908 men's singles, and the United States in the 1956 men's singles. From 1964 to 2006, Russian figure skaters—representing the Soviet Union, the Unified Team, or Russia—have always won a gold medal in the pairs event, in what is the longest series of victories for one NOC in one event.[5] A total of 240 medals (81 gold, 79 silver, and 80 bronze) have been won by figure skaters representing 25 NOCs.
Table of contents | |
---|---|
Men | Singles |
Ladies | Singles |
Mixed | Pairs • Ice dancing |
Discontinued | Special figures (men) |
![]() Ulrich Salchow of Sweden, creator of the Salchow jump, was the first Olympic champion in men's figure skating.
![]() Swedish Gillis Grafström, is the Olympic figure skating medal leader (4) and the only three-time gold medalist in the men's singles.
![]() Russian Evgeni Plushenko won the 2006 singles title with a world record short program score.[9]
![]() Nikolai Panin of Russia, the sole winner of the special figures event
|
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
1908 London details |
![]() Sweden (SWE) |
![]() Sweden (SWE) |
![]() Sweden (SWE) |
1912 Stockholm | not included in the Olympic program | ||
1920 Antwerp details |
![]() Sweden (SWE) |
![]() Norway (NOR) |
![]() Norway (NOR) |
1924 Chamonix details |
![]() Sweden (SWE) |
![]() Austria (AUT) |
![]() Switzerland (SUI) |
1928 St. Moritz details |
![]() Sweden (SWE) |
![]() Austria (AUT) |
![]() Belgium (BEL) |
1932 Lake Placid details |
![]() Austria (AUT) |
![]() Sweden (SWE) |
![]() Canada (CAN) |
1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen details |
![]() Austria (AUT) |
![]() Germany (GER) |
![]() Austria (AUT) |
1948 St. Moritz details |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() Switzerland (SUI) |
![]() Austria (AUT) |
1952 Oslo details |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() Austria (AUT) |
![]() United States (USA) |
1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo details |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() United States (USA) |
1960 Squaw Valley details |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() Czechoslovakia (TCH) |
![]() Canada (CAN) |
1964 Innsbruck details |
![]() Germany (EUA) |
![]() France (FRA) |
![]() United States (USA) |
1968 Grenoble details |
![]() Austria (AUT) |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() France (FRA) |
1972 Sapporo details |
![]() Czechoslovakia (TCH) |
![]() Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() France (FRA) |
1976 Innsbruck details |
![]() Great Britain (GBR) |
![]() Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() Canada (CAN) |
1980 Lake Placid details |
![]() Great Britain (GBR) |
![]() East Germany (GDR) |
![]() United States (USA) |
1984 Sarajevo details |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() Canada (CAN) |
![]() Czechoslovakia (TCH) |
1988 Calgary details |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() Canada (CAN) |
![]() Soviet Union (URS) |
1992 Albertville details |
![]() Unified Team (EUN) |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() Czechoslovakia (TCH) |
1994 Lillehammer details |
![]() Russia (RUS) |
![]() Canada (CAN) |
![]() France (FRA) |
1998 Nagano details |
![]() Russia (RUS) |
![]() Canada (CAN) |
![]() France (FRA) |
2002 Salt Lake City details |
![]() Russia (RUS) |
![]() Russia (RUS) |
![]() United States (USA) |
2006 Turin details |
![]() Russia (RUS) |
![]() Switzerland (SUI) |
![]() Canada (CAN) |
2010 Vancouver details |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() Russia (RUS) |
![]() Japan (JPN) |
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
1908 London details |
![]() Russia (RUS) |
![]() Great Britain (GBR) |
![]() Great Britain (GBR) |
![]() Great Britain's Madge Syers (left) won the first Olympic ladies' singles event and, with her husband Edgar Syers (right), placed third in the 1908 pairs event.
![]() Norwegian Sonja Henie holds the record of three consecutive victories in the ladies' individual event (1928–1936).
![]() East Germany's Katarina Witt captured the gold medal in the 1988 ladies' singles event, becoming the second female figure skater to win back-to-back Olympic titles.
|
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
1908 London details |
![]() Great Britain (GBR) |
![]() Germany (GER) |
![]() Great Britain (GBR) |
1912 Stockholm | not included in the Olympic program | ||
1920 Antwerp details |
![]() Sweden (SWE) |
![]() Sweden (SWE) |
![]() United States (USA) |
1924 Chamonix details |
![]() Austria (AUT) |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() Great Britain (GBR) |
1928 St. Moritz details |
![]() Norway (NOR) |
![]() Austria (AUT) |
![]() United States (USA) |
1932 Lake Placid details |
![]() Norway (NOR) |
![]() Austria (AUT) |
![]() United States (USA) |
1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen details |
![]() Norway (NOR) |
![]() Great Britain (GBR) |
![]() Sweden (SWE) |
1948 St. Moritz details |
![]() Canada (CAN) |
![]() Austria (AUT) |
![]() Great Britain (GBR) |
1952 Oslo details |
![]() Great Britain (GBR) |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() France (FRA) |
1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo details |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() Austria (AUT) |
1960 Squaw Valley details |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() Netherlands (NED) |
![]() United States (USA) |
1964 Innsbruck details |
![]() Netherlands (NED) |
![]() Austria (AUT) |
![]() Canada (CAN) |
1968 Grenoble details |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() East Germany (GDR) |
![]() Czechoslovakia (TCH) |
1972 Sapporo details |
![]() Austria (AUT) |
![]() Canada (CAN) |
![]() United States (USA) |
1976 Innsbruck details |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() Netherlands (NED) |
![]() East Germany (GDR) |
1980 Lake Placid details |
![]() East Germany (GDR) |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() West Germany (FRG) |
1984 Sarajevo details |
![]() East Germany (GDR) |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() Soviet Union (URS) |
1988 Calgary details |
![]() East Germany (GDR) |
![]() Canada (CAN) |
![]() United States (USA) |
1992 Albertville details |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() Japan (JPN) |
![]() United States (USA) |
1994 Lillehammer details |
![]() Ukraine (UKR) |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() China (CHN) |
1998 Nagano details |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() China (CHN) |
2002 Salt Lake City details |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() Russia (RUS) |
![]() United States (USA) |
2006 Turin details |
![]() Japan (JPN) |
![]() United States (USA) |
![]() Russia (RUS) |
2010 Vancouver details |
![]() South Korea (KOR) |
![]() Japan (JPN) |
![]() Canada (CAN) |
![]() Ludmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov's victory in 1964 began a streak of Russian dominance in the pairs event which lasted until 2010.
![]() Soviet Union's Irina Rodnina won a record three successive gold medals (1972–1980). In her first victory, she paired with Alexei Ulanov (pictured).
![]() Canadian pair Jamie Salé and David Pelletier were given a joint gold medal in 2002, as a result of investigations on a judging scandal.[10]
![]() 2006 Olympic champions Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin of Russia
![]() Ice dancers Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko won a bronze medal in 1984, improved to a silver in 1988, and capped their Olympic appearances with a gold in 1992.
|
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
1908 London details |
![]() and Heinrich Burger Germany (GER) |
![]() and James H. Johnson Great Britain (GBR) |
![]() and Edgar Syers Great Britain (GBR) |
1912 Stockholm | not included in the Olympic program | ||
1920 Antwerp details |
![]() and Walter Jakobsson Finland (FIN) |
![]() and Yngvar Bryn Norway (NOR) |
![]() and Basil Williams Great Britain (GBR) |
1924 Chamonix details |
![]() and Alfred Berger Austria (AUT) |
![]() and Walter Jakobsson Finland (FIN) |
![]() and Pierre Brunet France (FRA) |
1928 St. Moritz details |
![]() and Pierre Brunet France (FRA) |
![]() and Otto Kaiser Austria (AUT) |
![]() and Ludwig Wrede Austria (AUT) |
1932 Lake Placid details |
![]() and Pierre Brunet France (FRA) |
![]() and Sherwin Badger United States (USA) |
![]() and László Szollás Hungary (HUN) |
1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen details |
![]() and Ernst Baier Germany (GER) |
![]() and Erik Pausin Austria (AUT) |
![]() and László Szollás Hungary (HUN) |
1948 St. Moritz details |
![]() and Pierre Baugniet Belgium (BEL) |
![]() and Ede Király Hungary (HUN) |
![]() and Wallace Diestelmeyer Canada (CAN) |
1952 Oslo details |
![]() and Paul Falk Germany (GER) |
![]() and Peter Kennedy United States (USA) |
![]() and László Nagy Hungary (HUN) |
1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo details |
![]() and Kurt Oppelt Austria (AUT) |
![]() and Norris Bowden Canada (CAN) |
![]() and László Nagy Hungary (HUN) |
1960 Squaw Valley details |
![]() and Robert Paul Canada (CAN) |
![]() and Hans-Jürgen Bäumler Germany (EUA) |
![]() and Ronald Ludington United States (USA) |
1964 Innsbruck details |
![]() and Oleg Protopopov Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() and Hans-Jürgen Bäumler Germany (EUA) |
![]() and Guy Revell Canada (CAN) |
1968 Grenoble details |
![]() and Oleg Protopopov Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() and Aleksandr Gorelik Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() and Wolfgang Danne West Germany (FRG) |
1972 Sapporo details |
![]() and Alexei Ulanov Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() and Andrei Suraikin Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() and Uwe Kagelmann East Germany (GDR) |
1976 Innsbruck details |
![]() and Alexander Zaitsev Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() and Rolf Österreich East Germany (GDR) |
![]() and Uwe Kagelmann East Germany (GDR) |
1980 Lake Placid details |
![]() and Alexander Zaitsev Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() and Sergei Shakhrai Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() and Uwe Bewersdorf East Germany (GDR) |
1984 Sarajevo details |
![]() and Oleg Vasiliev Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() and Peter Carruthers United States (USA) |
![]() and Oleg Makarov Soviet Union (URS) |
1988 Calgary details |
![]() and Sergei Grinkov Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() and Oleg Vasiliev Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() and Peter Oppegard United States (USA) |
1992 Albertville details |
![]() and Artur Dmitriev Unified Team (EUN) |
![]() and Denis Petrov Unified Team (EUN) |
![]() and Lloyd Eisler Canada (CAN) |
1994 Lillehammer details |
![]() and Sergei Grinkov Russia (RUS) |
![]() and Artur Dmitriev Russia (RUS) |
![]() and Lloyd Eisler Canada (CAN) |
1998 Nagano details |
![]() and Artur Dmitriev Russia (RUS) |
![]() and Anton Sikharulidze Russia (RUS) |
![]() and Ingo Steuer Germany (GER) |
2002 Salt Lake City details |
![]() and Anton Sikharulidze Russia (RUS) |
none[b] | ![]() and Zhao Hongbo China (CHN) |
![]() and David Pelletier Canada (CAN) |
|||
2006 Turin details |
![]() and Maxim Marinin Russia (RUS) |
![]() and Zhang Hao China (CHN) |
![]() and Zhao Hongbo China (CHN) |
2010 Vancouver details |
![]() and Zhao Hongbo China (CHN) |
![]() and Tong Jian China (CHN) |
![]() and Robin Szolkowy Germany (GER) |
Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
1976 Innsbruck details |
![]() and Aleksandr Gorshkov Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() and Andrei Minenkov Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() and James Millns United States (USA) |
1980 Lake Placid details |
![]() and Gennadi Karponossov Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() and András Sallay Hungary (HUN) |
![]() and Andrei Minenkov Soviet Union (URS) |
1984 Sarajevo details |
![]() and Christopher Dean Great Britain (GBR) |
![]() and Andrei Bukin Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() and Sergei Ponomarenko Soviet Union (URS) |
1988 Calgary details |
![]() and Andrei Bukin Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() and Sergei Ponomarenko Soviet Union (URS) |
![]() and Robert McCall Canada (CAN) |
1992 Albertville details |
![]() and Sergei Ponomarenko Unified Team (EUN) |
![]() and Paul Duchesnay France (FRA) |
![]() and Alexander Zhulin Unified Team (EUN) |
1994 Lillehammer details |
![]() and Evgeny Platov Russia (RUS) |
![]() and Alexander Zhulin Russia (RUS) |
![]() and Christopher Dean Great Britain (GBR) |
1998 Nagano details |
![]() and Evgeny Platov Russia (RUS) |
![]() and Oleg Ovsyannikov Russia (RUS) |
![]() and Gwendal Peizerat France (FRA) |
2002 Salt Lake City details |
![]() and Gwendal Peizerat France (FRA) |
![]() and Ilia Averbukh Russia (RUS) |
![]() and Maurizio Margaglio Italy (ITA) |
2006 Turin details |
![]() and Roman Kostomarov Russia (RUS) |
![]() and Benjamin Agosto United States (USA) |
![]() and Ruslan Goncharov Ukraine (UKR) |
2010 Vancouver details |
![]() and Scott Moir Canada (CAN) |
![]() and Charlie White United States (USA) |
![]() and Maxim Shabalin Russia (RUS) |
Athletes who won at least two gold medals or three total medals are listed below.[7]
Athlete | Nation | Olympics | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gillis Grafström | ![]() |
1920–1932[a] | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
Sonja Henie | ![]() |
1928–1936 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Irina Rodnina | ![]() |
1972–1980 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Artur Dmitriev | ![]() ![]() |
1992–1998 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Pierre Brunet | ![]() |
1924–1932 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Andrée Brunet | ![]() |
1924–1932 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Evgeni Plushenko | ![]() |
2002–2010 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
Sergei Ponomarenko | ![]() ![]() |
1984–1992 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Marina Klimova | ![]() ![]() |
1984–1992 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Shen Xue | ![]() |
2002–2010 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Zhao Hongbo | ![]() |
2002–2010 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Beatrix Loughran | ![]() |
1924–1932 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Karl Schäfer | ![]() |
1928–1936 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Dick Button | ![]() |
1948–1952 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Ludmila Belousova | ![]() |
1964–1968 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Oleg Protopopov | ![]() |
1964–1968 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Alexander Zaitsev | ![]() |
1976–1980 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Katarina Witt | ![]() |
1984–1988 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Ekaterina Gordeeva | ![]() ![]() |
1988, 1994 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Sergei Grinkov | ![]() ![]() |
1988, 1994 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Oksana Grishuk | ![]() |
1994–1998 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Evgeny Platov | ![]() |
1994–1998 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
# | Number of medals won by the NOC at these Games | – | NOC did not win medals at these Games | NOC did not participate at these Games (in 1912, there was no figure skating) |
NOC | 08 | 12 | 20 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 94 | 98 | 02 | 06 | 10 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
– | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 20 | ||
![]() |
– | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | |||
![]() |
– | – | – | – | 1 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 2 | 2 | – | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 22 | |
![]() |
– | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | |||||||||||||||
![]() |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | 5 | ||||||
![]() |
1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
– | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | |
![]() |
– | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | – | – | 12 | |
![]() |
2 | – | – | 2 | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | 7 | |||||||||||||
![]() |
– | – | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
6 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 15 | |
![]() |
– | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6 | ||
![]() |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | |
![]() |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||||
![]() |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | |||
![]() |
– | 3 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6 | |
![]() |
1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 22 | ||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||
![]() |
– | – | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 24 | |||||||||||||||
![]() |
3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 10 | |
![]() |
– | – | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 3 | |
![]() |
1 | – | – | 1 | – | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
5 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
– | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | – | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 46 | |
![]() |
1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
Year | 08 | 12 | 20 | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 94 | 98 | 02 | 06 | 10 | – |
|
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