Usain Bolt equalled the record for the most number of World Athletics Championship gold medals when he anchored the Jamaican 4x100m relay team to victory at the 2013 edition in Moscow on Sunday (August 18).
It was the Jamaican’s eighth world gold medal after winning the 100m and 200m at the Berlin worlds in 2009, the 200m in Daegu in 2011, the 100m and 200m in Moscow this week, as well as golds as part of the winning Jamaican 4x100m relay squads in 2009, 2011 and now 2013.
It means Usain Bolt joins American women’s 200m specialist Allyson Felix, and retired US track stars Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson who, including relays, have all won eight gold medals in World Athletics Championships
Usain Bolt moves to the top of the all-time World Championships medals table with eight golds and two silvers, edging Carl Lewis’ eight golds, one silver and one bronze.
The 100m and 200m world record holder also secured a sprint triple in World Athlerics Championships for the second time after 2009 at Berlin, matching the trebles he completed at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.
The record of winning the most number of medals in World Athletics Championship is held by Jamacian Merlene Ottey who won 14 medals, three gold, four silver and seven bronze between 1983 and 1997.
Most gold medals in World Athletics Championship
Athlete G S B Total
Carl Lewis (United States) 8 1 1 10
Usain Bolt (Jamaica) 8 2 – 10
Allyson Felix (United States) 8 1 1 10
Michael Johnson (United States) 8 – – 8
LaShawn Merritt (United States) 6 2 – 8
Sergey Bubka (Soviet Union/Ukraine) 6 – – 6
Gail Devers (United States) 5 3 – 8
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica) 5 2 – 7
Sanya Richards-Ross (United States) 5 1 – 6
Jeremy Wariner (United States) 5 1 – 6
Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) 5 – 1 6
Lars Riedel (Germany) 5 – 1 6
Most medals in World Athletics Championship:
Athlete G S B Total
Merlene Ottey (Jamaica) 3 4 7 14
Usain Bolt (Jamaica) 8 2 – 10
Carl Lewis (United States) 8 1 1 10
Allyson Felix (United States) 8 1 1 10
Jearl Miles Clark (United States) 4 3 2 9
Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jamaica) 2 7 – 9
Michael Johnson (United States) 8 – – 8
LaShawn Merritt (United States) 6 2 – 8
Gail Devers (United States) 5 3 – 8
Gwen Torrence (United States) 3 4 1 8
Bold’s medals in World Athletics Championship
Year Venue Medals
2007 Osaka Silver 200m and 4x 100 m relay
2009 Berlin Gold in 100m, 200m and 4x 100 m relay
2011 Daegu Gold in 200m and 4x 100 m relay
2013 Moscow Gold in 100m, 200m and 4x 100 m relay
