The Last Time Each Country from the Americas Won an Olympic Medal

Since the 1896 debut of swimming at the first Olympic Games in Athens, 49 countries still existing today have won a medal in the sport. Of these 49 countries, 10 lie within North or South America, including the most decorated nation in the history of the sport, the United States of America. Spanning two continents, at least one of these 10 countries has won a swimming medal in every Olympiad since 1904. 

Below, the countries that have won a medal (Gold, Silver, or Bronze) in a modern Olympic Games (since 1896) are listed, in alphabetical order. The most recent swimming medalists for the country (pool or open water swimming) are listed under the country’s name, along with the other Olympic games in which that country has won a medal.

Argentina: Athens 2004

• Georgina Bardach: 400 IM (Bronze)

Argentina has exactly one gold, one silver, and one bronze medal, with the most recent addition being IM specialist Georgia Bardach’s third-place performance in the 400 IM in 2004. Bardach’s swim was Argentina’s first medal in nearly 70 years, since Jeanette Campbell’s second-place finish in the 100 Free in Berlin, in 1936. 

Podium Appearances: 1928, 1936, 2004

Brazil: Tokyo 2021

• Ana Marcela Cunha: 10 km Marathon (Gold)
• Bruno Fratus: 50 Free (Bronze)
• Fernando Scheffer: 200 Free (Bronze)

As the most successful swimming nation in South America with 15 pool swimming medals and two marathon swimming medals, Brazil has recently shown its consistency in the water. The country won three medals at the Tokyo games, including Ana Marcela Cunha’s historic open water win and Bruno Fratus’ long-awaited bronze medal in the 50 free. 

Podium Appearances: 1952, 1960, 1980, 1984, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2021

Canada: Tokyo 2021

• Maggie MacNeil: 100 Fly (Gold)
• Kylie Masse: 100 Back/200 Back (Silver)
• Penny Oleksiak: 200 Free (Bronze)
• Women’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay: Bronze
• Women’s 4×100 Medley Relay: Bronze

Proving themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the world of women’s swimming at the Tokyo Olympics, Canada returned home with 6 medals. Canada has medalled in nearly every Olympic games since 1968, (apart from boycotting the 1980 Olympics in Moscow and the 2004 games). Going forward, this streak is very unlikely to be broken in Paris, with the likes of Summer McIntosh looking to get her first Olympic medal.

Podium Appearances: 1912, 1920, 1928, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2021

Costa Rica: Sydney 2000

• Claudia Poll: 200 Free/400 Free (Bronze)

The Central American nation holds four total Olympic medals, all thanks to middle-distance sisters Sylvia and Claudia Poll. Sylvia won silver in the 200 freestyle at the Seoul Games in 1988, and Claudia won the same event in Atlanta in 1996. Costa Rica’s most recent medals (in any sport) come from Claudia, who returned home with two bronze medals in the 200 and 400 freestyles at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. 

Podium Appearances: 1988, 1996, 2000

Cuba: Atlanta 1996

• Neisser Bent: 100 Back (Bronze)
• Rodolfo Falcon: 100 Back (Silver)

Both of Cuba’s medals came from the same event at the same games, with Rodolfo Falcon and Neisser Bent getting second and third in the 100 backstroke in 1996. Cuba was one of five nations (alongside Australia, the United States, Russia, and Hungary) to feature both of its representatives in the same event on a podium in Atlanta. 

Podium Appearances: 1996

Mexico: Mexico City 1968

• Felipe Muñoz: 200 Breast (Gold)
• Maria Teresa Ramirez: 800 Free (Bronze)

There’s something to be said about the added boost of competing in front of a hometown crowd, even if swimming doesn’t showcase the “home field advantage” as other sports do. Felipe Muñoz and Maria Teresa Ramirez, both Mexico City natives, remain to be Mexico’s only medalists in swimming. The 1968 Olympics were the most successful games in the country’s history, with a total of nine medals won (three gold, three silver, three bronze), including the two from Muñoz and Ramirez.

Podium Appearances: 1968

Suriname: Barcelona 1992

• Anthony Nesty: 100 Fly (Bronze)

The head coach at the University of Florida made considerable waves in the sport long before his coaching career began. Nesty was the first black swimmer to earn an individual Olympic medal, winning gold with an Olympic record time of 53.00 in the 100 butterfly at the Seoul games in 1998. To this day, Nesty is the only athlete to win a medal for Suriname, with a Gold and Bronze medal under his belt, both in the 100 butterfly. 

Podium Appearances: 1988, 1992

Trinidad and Tobago: Athens 2004

• George Bovell: 200 IM (Bronze)

Trinidad and Tobago’s only medal in swimming comes from George Bovell in 2004, with a bronze in the 200 IM. This medal makes the island nation one of two Caribbean island countries with an Olympic medal in swimming, with the other being Cuba. 

Podium Appearances: 2004

United States: Tokyo 2021

• Kate Douglass: 200 IM (Bronze)
• Caeleb Dressel: 50 Free/100 Free/100 Fly (Gold)
• Bobby Finke: 800 Free/1500 Free (Gold)
• Hali Flickinger: 200 Fly/400 IM (Bronze)
• Lydia Jacoby: 100 Breast (Gold)
• Chase Kalisz: 400 IM (Gold)
• Lilly King: 200 Breast (Silver), 100 Breast (Bronze)
• Annie Lazor: 200 Breast (Bronze)
• Katie Ledecky: 800 Free/1500 Free (Gold), 400 Free (Silver)
• Jay Litherland: 400 IM (Silver)
• Ryan Murphy: 200 Back (Silver), 100 Back (Bronze)
• Kieran Smith: 400 Free (Bronze)
• Regan Smith: 200 Fly (Silver), 100 Back (Bronze)
• Erica Sullivan: 1500 Free (Silver)
• Alex Walsh: 200 IM (Silver)
• Emma Weyant: 400 IM (Silver)
• Men’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay: Gold
• Women’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay: Bronze
• Women’s 4×200 Freestyle Relay: Silver
• Men’s 4×100 Medley Relay: Gold
• Women’s 4×100 Medley Relay: Silver

The United States, appearing on the podium every year except for the first two games in 1896 and 1900, and the Olympiad in 1980 (Moscow Olympic Boycott) further shows the country’s historic dominance in the water. With 30 swimming medals at the most recent games in Tokyo, the United States looks to add to its impressive resume in Paris. 

Podium Appearances: 1904, 1908, 1912, 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2021

Venezuela: Los Angeles 1984

• Rafael Vidal: 200 Fly (Bronze)

As a nation, Venezuela holds 19 medals– 18 of which come from land-based sports. Not typically considered a swimming country now, Venezuela boasts a bronze medal in the 200 butterfly, won by Rafael Vidal in 1984. Vidal tragically passed away when he was struck by an errant driver in 2006, and a tribute event, “Un Millón de Metros por Rafael Vidal” (1 Million meters for Rafael Vidal) was established, in which swimmers around the world contribute meters to a grand total in his honor. Venezuela has since designated February 12 as “El Día Nacional del Nadador” (National Day of the Swimmer) for Vidal. Visit this website for more information

Podium Appearances: 1984

Map below depicts the last time each country worldwide won a medal. 

All-Time Continental Medal Count (Pool + Open Water):

1. 1. North America: 651
   2. Europe: 529
   3. Oceania: 207
   4. Asia: 142
   5. Africa: 31
   6. South America: 23

Information sourced from Olympedia, maps created with mapchart.net