Who has won the most Olympic gold medals? Is Michael Phelps the record medal winner in history?

Updated 22/07/2016 at 13:24 GMT

Ever wondered who has the most Olympic medals and gold medals to their name? Here's all you need to know...

Michael Phelps of the U.S. kisses his 19th Olympic medal presented to him in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay victory ceremony during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre July 31, 2012

Image credit: Reuters

Who has the most Olympic medals?

American swimmer Michael Phelps has a remarkable 22 Olympic medals to his name.

Phelps scooped eight medals in Athens, eight in Beijing and six in London.

Rio 2016

2016 Rio Olympics: All you need to know about the 100m and Bolt

22/07/2016 at 12:11

Larisa Latynina of the Soviet Union won 18 medals in gymnastics, while compatriot Nikolai Andrianov managed 15 in the same sport.

Phelps happy to have another chance at Olympic success

Most Olympic medals:

Michael Phelps (USA - swimming) - 22 medals

Larisa Latynina (Soviet Union - gymnastics) - 18 medals

Nikolai Andrianov (Soviet Union - gymnastics) - 15 medals

Ole Einar Bjorndalen (Norway - biathlon) - 13 medals

Boris Shakhlin (Soviet Union - gymnastics) - 13 medals

Michael Phelps qualifies for his 5th olympics

Image credit: Eurosport

Who has the most Olympic gold medals?

Again, Phelps leads the way with an astonishing 18 gold medals.

Phelps won six gold medals in Athens, eight in Beijing and four in London.

Another very famous American swimmer, Mark Spitz, has nine gold medals to his name.

Meanwhile, sprinting legend Carl Lewis has the same number in his collection - albeit as a result of Ben Johnson being stripped of his 1988 gold.

Mark Spitz

Image credit: Eurosport

Most Olympic gold medals:

Michael Phelps (USA - swimming) - 18 gold medals

Larisa Latynina (Soviet Union - gymnastics) - Nine gold medals

Paavo Nurmi (Finland - athletics) - Nine gold medals

Mark Spitz (USA - swimming) - Nine gold medals

Carl Lewis (USA - athletics) - Nine gold medals

Carl Lewis, 1984

Image credit: SID

How many more can Phelps win?

In April 2014, Phelps announced he would come out of retirement and, at the US trials for the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Phelps won the 200 m butterfly (1:54.84), the 200 m individual medley (1:55.91), and the 100 m butterfly (51.00) events.

"It’s clear I’m stronger now than in 2012, physically and mentally," Phelps has said in the lead up to the Rio Games.

"I do understand that I do have to swim faster to have a chance to win the gold medal. I know that. There were just a bunch of small things I know I can improve on."

You would have to be extremely bold to bet against Phelps adding several more medals to his collection in Rio.