Graphic shows the top three medal-winning nations for every modern summer Olympic Games.
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TOKYO 2020

Top medal-winning nations at Summer Olympics

By Chris Dinsdale

July 23, 2021 - August 8, 2021 - The modern Olympic Games were founded in 1896, with the tradition of gold, silver and bronze medals introduced at the 1904 Games. The 2020 Summer Olympic Games, postponed for a year by the coronavirus pandemic, take place in Tokyo.

In 2016, at the Rio Olympics, the United States topped the medal table with 46 gold medals, 37 silver and 38 bronze for a total of 121 awards. Followed by Great Britain in second place (27 gold) -- the first country to increase its medal tally at the summer Games immediately following one it hosted -- and China third with 26 gold medals.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games medals are made from recycled small electronic devices, gathered over a two year period from April 2017 to March 2019.

Graphic designer Junichi Kawanishi won a nationwide competition to design the medals which he says symbolise the energy of athletes, the diversity of the games, and the warm glow of friendship.

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PUBLISHED: 14/07/2021; STORY: Graphic News
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