alternative Olympic Medals Table

[aderechelsea]

this is a different Medals Table for the Olympics.

Sorry for the horrible format.....

the numbers indicate : Gold ,Silver,Bronze,Total and Medals/Population in millions.

1 Bahamas 1 0 1 2 6.25

2 Australia 17 16 16 49 2.46

3 Estonia 0 1 2 3 2.30

4 Cuba 9 7 11 27 2.28

5 Slovenia 0 1 3 4 2.02

6 Jamaica 2 1 2 5 1.80

7 Latvia 0 4 0 4 1.74

8 Hungary 8 6 3 17 1.6

9 Bulgaria 2 1 9 12 1.52

10 Belarus 2 6 7 15 1.50

11 Denmark 2 0 6 8 1.48

12 Greece 6 6 4 16 1.45

13 Netherlands 4 9 9 22 1.36

14 New Zealand 3 2 0 5 1.32

15 Norway 5 0 1 6 1.31

16 Croatia 1 2 2 5 1.14

17 Slovakia 2 2 2 6 1.12

18 Austria 2 4 1 7 0.88

19 Romania 8 5 6 19 0.85

20 Lithuania 1 2 0 3 0.85

21 Sweden 4 1 2 7 0.79

22 Czech Republic 1 3 4 8 0.78

23 Georgia 2 2 0 4 0.75

24 Trinidad/Tobago 0 0 1 1 0.73

25 Switzerland 1 1 3 5 0.68

26 Korea 9 12 9 30 0.65

27 Russia 27 27 38 92 0.63

28 Azerbaijan 1 0 4 5 0.61

29 Germany 14 16 18 48 0.58

30 France 11 9 13 33 0.55

31 Italy 10 11 11 32 0.55

32 Kazakhstan 1 4 3 8 0.55

33 Great Britain 9 9 12 30 0.50

34 Ukraine 9 5 9 23 0.46

35 Spain 3 11 5 19 0.46

36 Mongolia 0 0 1 1 0.46

37 Canada 3 6 3 12 0.38

38 Finland 0 2 0 2 0.38

39 USA 35 39 29 103 0.36

40 Israel 1 0 1 2 0.31

41 U Arab Emirates 1 0 0 1 0.31

42 Japan 16 9 12 37 0.29

43 Belgium 1 0 2 3 0.29

44 Portugal 0 2 1 3 0.29

45 Poland 3 2 5 10 0.26

46 Ireland 1 0 0 1 0.25

47 Kenya 1 4 2 7 0.23

48 Eritrea 0 0 1 1 0.23

49 Chile 2 0 1 3 0.20

50 Zimbabwe 1 1 1 3 0.20

51 DPR Korea 0 4 1 5 0.20

52 Serbia/Monteneg 0 2 0 2 0.19

53 Paraguay 0 1 0 1 0.17

54 Argentina 2 0 4 6 0.16

55 Turkey 3 3 4 10 0.14

56 Hong Kong 0 1 0 1 0.14

57 Thailand 3 1 4 8 0.13

58 South Africa 1 3 2 6 0.13

59 Ethiopia 2 3 2 7 0.11

60 Dominican Rep 1 0 0 1 0.11

61 Morocco 2 1 0 3 0.10

62 I. R. Iran 2 2 2 6 0.09

63 Venezuela 0 0 2 2 0.08

64 Brazil 4 3 3 10 0.06

65 Cameroon 1 0 0 1 0.06

66 China 32 17 14 63 0.05

67 Syrian Arab Rep 0 0 1 1 0.05

68 Uzbekistan 2 1 2 5 0.04

69 Mexico 0 3 1 4 0.04

70 Indonesia 1 1 2 4 0.02

71 Colombia 0 0 1 1 0.02

72 Nigeria 0 0 2 2 0.01

73 Egypt 1 1 3 5 0.002

74 India 0 1 0 1 0.001

a lot of ex-communist countries and Cuba on top (shows how great foundations they have in sports) and small caribbean countries (they don't really count if you ask me cause their athletes probably grew up and train in the States or Gr.Britain ...).

Australia is the top ranker IMO.

Edited September 6, 2004 by aderechelsea

[Doyobi]

wow! Romania is down to 19 million population? It was 23 mil. 15 years ago

(Applauding...)

[aderechelsea]

wow! Romania is down to 19 million population? It was 23 mil. 15 years ago

(Applauding...)

not really ... it's population is 22.35 million if you calculate it by the table:

medals / population = 0.85 =>

population = medals / 0.85 =>

population = 19/0.85 =>

population = 22.35 (in millions)

[Zenjimoto]

Well done! I'd LOVE to see this table with a combined Summer/Winter Olympics medals total... I have a feeling Austria would perhaps do even a bit better (Applauding...)

[MongolPower]

Population of Mongolia is estimated to be 2.7 million. That means .37 medals per million. Worse than Canada and better that US :)

[aderechelsea]

i used the numbers i found online concerning population .....

the figures are probably different for each country but i guess the list wouldn't be much different if all of the figures are a bit off ....

[Elenrian]

And, what about the European union? We got 286 medals, but I don't know exactly how many we are. (about 400 000 000, I think... that makes 286/400=0.72)

[aderechelsea]

i really cannot consider the EU as one country .....

if i made such a calculation i would also try to do something continent-wise ..... (hmmmmm)

[Azumashida]

The problem with that kind of way to rank the countries is that the populated countries don't have an amount of athletes in proportion to their population, since the amount of athletes is limited per event in every sport (e.g. 3 for one event in athletics, 1 in judo, etc.). So the advantage that one country has in being much more populated than others is actually far from being fully translated at the Olympic Games...

That reminds me of a story told (with some humour) by Icelanders to foreigners: since Icelandic Misses were Miss Universe 3 times, Icelandic women can be considered as the most beautiful women in the world. For e.g. Swedish women to equal that Icelandic performance (in proportion of the Swedish population of 8 million people), they should have won all other Miss Universe contests! Obviously, since there is only one Miss per country in these contests, introducing a per country ratio is quite meaningless...

That notwithstanding, the Australian and Cuban performances are really impressive (let's not mention Hungary :-P ; well actually their most controversial golds have been removed on this table so their performance is quite impressive too); I gather they are mostly based on each of these countries being extremely strong at one national sport before all, namely, swimming and boxing respectively.

Now, as for the EU, it has of course the huge advantage to have potentially 25 times more athletes per event (since each of the 25 countries may qualify the maximum amount of athletes per country); its score (whether in absolute or relative numbers) thus cannot be compared to that of the US for instance...

[aderechelsea]

again sorry for the format (but i cannot find a way to post a table)

first collumn is popolation in millions, second is medals and third one is the number we are talking about...

Oceania 31.090 54 1,74

Europe 730.916 474 0,65

America 830.722 178 0,21

Asia 3,701.000 183 0,05

Africa 807.419 35 0,04

North America 481.212 155 0,32

South America 349.510 23 0,07

some people consider America as one continent but others consider North and South two different ones so i tried to satisfy both .....

i included Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan to Europe and Turkey to Asia.

@ Azumaru-san:

i understand the limited amount of athletes they can enter in the competition but you should also consider they have a vast selection of athletes there to choose the next champion when countries like Estonia have to accept what the luck of the draw gives them.

I guess good decathletes like Erki Nool don't fall from trees in Estonia while China can find one if they look good within their country .....

the medals/population figure is mostly to find out which countries put their sport talents in better use ..... (at least IMO)

Edited September 7, 2004 by aderechelsea

[Azumashida]

the medals/population figure is mostly to find out which countries put their sport talents in better use ..... (at least IMO)

Yes, this figure surely tells something (thanks for posting it, it's interesting! (Sign of approval) ), especially it points to certain not so populated countries as very well organized for optimizing their qualities in given sports (such as Australia in swimming, Cuba in boxing, etc.). The main point I want to make is that one cannot really judge the performances of the big countries from it: to take extreme examples, for China or India to reach a score of 1, i.e. 18th place in there, they would need to get more than 1000 medals! So China, which will probably be n.1 by far in four years' time in absolute numbers, is bound to always be very badly ranked on that table...

[Sasanishiki]

I was looking through this and found a rather significant mistake (at least for Egyptians). I guess this shows that I too have a lot of time on my hands.

No actually, it came about at looking at the countries on the list sandwiched between China (largest population and did very well at the Olympics) and India (second largest population and didn't do so well.

If Egypt (5) won five time the total medals that India (1) did but only ended up with 0.002 to India's 0.001 that would suggest that they have a population 2.5 times India's! As Egypt's population is about 76 million, their medal/population figure should be about 0.065, which would put them roughly around 64th and make everyone else from there down (except India) move down a place.

Still, great job Adere and no disresect meant (no doubt a keystroke error or something).

I will post my own figures in a moment on the rankings according to type of medal per population.

Edited September 8, 2004 by Sasanishiki

[aderechelsea]

Still, great job Adere and no disresect meant (no doubt a keystroke error or something).

no worries man .... i knew there would be a mistake like that after all those calculations .... (Blushing...)

[Sasanishiki]

As promised, here is a table which gives the ranking according to the number of golds won per population. I thought this might give an extra dimension to how well countries had done given their population base by seeing the 'quality' of their performances as judged by the type of medal. This list shows that some of the previously high-ranking countries (as per Aderechelsea's figures) drop off because they did not win gold. Others that scored particularly well in their percentage of golds to total medals won did rather well (like Norway). I was inspired by my native NZ winning 3 golds and 2 silvers as our total haul at the Olympics.

I have used the exact information as in Aderechelsea's post so there may be erros associated with rounding etc. Remember, it is fun, not science!

The columns read: New Gold Ranking, Old Total Medal Ranking (Adere's info), Golds won, Total Medals Won, Medals/population, Golds/population

1 1 Bahamas 1 2 6.2 3.100

2 15 Norway 5 6 1.31 1.092

3 2 Australia 17 49 2.46 0.853

4 14 N Zealand 3 5 1.32 0.792

5 4 Cuba 9 27 2.28 0.760

6 8 Hungary 8 17 1.6 0.753

7 6 Jamaica 2 5 1.8 0.720

8 12 Greece 6 16 1.45 0.544

9 21 Sweden 4 7 0.79 0.451

10 23 Georgia 2 4 0.75 0.375

11 17 Slovakia 2 6 1.12 0.373

12 11 Denmark 2 8 1.48 0.370

13 19 Romania 8 19 0.85 0.358

14 41 UAE 1 1 0.31 0.310

15 20 Lithuania 1 3 0.85 0.283

16 9 Bulgaria 2 12 1.52 0.253

17 18 Austria 2 7 0.88 0.251

18 46 Ireland 1 1 0.25 0.250

19 13 Neth. 4 22 1.36 0.247

20 16 Croatia 1 5 1.14 0.228

21 10 Belarus 2 15 1.5 0.200

22 26 Korea 9 30 0.65 0.195

23 27 Russia 27 92 0.63 0.185

24 30 France 11 33 0.55 0.183

25 34 Ukraine 9 23 0.46 0.180

26 31 Italy 10 32 0.55 0.172

27 29 Germany 14 48 0.58 0.169

28 40 Israel 1 2 0.31 0.155

29 33 G Britain 9 30 0.5 0.150

30 25 Switz. 1 5 0.68 0.136

31 49 Chile 2 3 0.2 0.133

32 42 Japan 16 37 0.29 0.125

33 39 USA 35 103 0.36 0.122

34 28 Azerbaij. 1 5 0.61 0.122

35 60 Dom. Rep 1 1 0.11 0.110

36 22 Czech Rep 1 8 0.78 0.098

37 43 Belgium 1 3 0.29 0.097

38 37 Canada 3 12 0.38 0.095

39 45 Poland 3 10 0.26 0.078

40 35 Spain 3 19 0.46 0.073

41 32 Kazakhst. 1 8 0.55 0.069

42 50 Zimbabwe 1 3 0.2 0.067

43 61 Morocco 2 3 0.1 0.067

44 66 Cameroon 1 1 0.06 0.060

45 54 Argentina 2 6 0.16 0.053

46 57 Thailand 3 8 0.13 0.049

47 55 Turkey 3 10 0.14 0.042

48 47 Kenya 1 7 0.23 0.033

49 59 Ethiopia 2 7 0.11 0.031

50 62 I. R. Iran 2 6 0.09 0.030

51 67 China 32 63 0.05 0.025

52 65 Brazil 4 10 0.06 0.024

53 58 Sth Africa 1 6 0.13 0.022

54 69 Uzbekistan 2 5 0.04 0.016

55 64 Egypt 1 5 0.065 0.013

56 71 Indonesia 1 4 0.02 0.005

[Sasanishiki]

Likewise with the silver:

New Silver Ranking, Old Total Medal Ranking (Adere's info), Silvers won, Total Medals Won, Medals/population, Silvers/population

1 7 Latvia 4 4 1.74 1.740

2 2 Australia 16 49 2.46 0.803

3 3 Estonia 1 3 2.3 0.767

4 10 Belarus 6 15 1.5 0.600

5 4 Cuba 7 27 2.28 0.591

6 20 Lithuania 2 3 0.85 0.567

7 8 Hungary 6 17 1.6 0.565

8 13 Neth. 9 22 1.36 0.556

9 12 Greece 6 16 1.45 0.544

10 14 NZ 2 5 1.32 0.528

11 5 Slovenia 1 4 2.02 0.505

12 18 Austria 4 7 0.88 0.503

13 16 Croatia 2 5 1.14 0.456

14 38 Finland 2 2 0.38 0.380

15 23 Georgia 2 4 0.75 0.375

16 17 Slovakia 2 6 1.12 0.373

17 6 Jamaica 1 5 1.8 0.360

18 22 Czech Rep 3 8 0.78 0.293

19 32 Kazakhst 4 8 0.55 0.275

20 35 Spain 11 19 0.46 0.266

21 26 Korea 12 30 0.65 0.260

22 19 Romania 5 19 0.85 0.224

23 29 Germany 16 48 0.58 0.193

24 44 Portugal 2 3 0.29 0.193

25 37 Canada 6 12 0.38 0.190

26 52 Serbia 2 2 0.19 0.190

27 31 Italy 11 32 0.55 0.189

28 27 Russia 27 92 0.63 0.185

29 53 Paraguay 1 1 0.17 0.170

30 51 DPR Korea 4 5 0.2 0.160

31 30 France 9 33 0.55 0.150

32 33 Gr Britain 9 30 0.5 0.150

33 56 H K 1 1 0.14 0.140

34 39 USA 39 103 0.36 0.136

35 25 Switz. 1 5 0.68 0.136

36 47 Kenya 4 7 0.23 0.131

37 9 Bulgaria 1 12 1.52 0.127

38 21 Sweden 1 7 0.79 0.113

39 34 Ukraine 5 23 0.46 0.100

40 42 Japan 9 37 0.29 0.071

41 50 Zimbabwe 1 3 0.2 0.067

42 58 Sth Africa 3 6 0.13 0.065

43 45 Poland 2 10 0.26 0.052

44 59 Ethiopia 3 7 0.11 0.047

45 55 Turkey 3 10 0.14 0.042

46 61 Morocco 1 3 0.1 0.033

47 62 I. R. Iran 2 6 0.09 0.030

48 70 Mexico 3 4 0.04 0.030

49 65 Brazil 3 10 0.06 0.018

50 57 Thailand 1 8 0.13 0.016

51 67 China 17 63 0.05 0.013

52 64 Egypt 1 5 0.065 0.013

53 69 Uzbekistan 1 5 0.04 0.008

54 71 Indonesia 1 4 0.02 0.005

55 74 India 1 1 0.001 0.001

[Sasanishiki]

And just to finish the set, the bronze rankings:

1 1 Bahamas 1 2 6.2 3.100

2 3 Estonia 2 3 2.3 1.533

3 5 Slovenia 3 4 2.02 1.515

4 9 Bulgaria 9 12 1.52 1.140

5 11 Denmark 6 8 1.48 1.110

6 4 Cuba 11 27 2.28 0.929

7 2 Australia 16 49 2.46 0.803

8 24 Trinidad 1 1 0.73 0.730

9 6 Jamaica 2 5 1.8 0.720

10 10 Belarus 7 15 1.5 0.700

11 13 Neth. 9 22 1.36 0.556

12 28 Azerbaij. 4 5 0.61 0.488

13 36 Mongolia 1 1 0.46 0.460

14 16 Croatia 2 5 1.14 0.456

15 25 Switz. 3 5 0.68 0.408

16 22 Czech Rep 4 8 0.78 0.390

17 17 Slovakia 2 6 1.12 0.373

18 12 Greece 4 16 1.45 0.363

19 8 Hungary 3 17 1.6 0.282

20 19 Romania 6 19 0.85 0.268

21 27 Russia 38 92 0.63 0.260

22 48 Eritrea 1 1 0.23 0.230

23 21 Sweden 2 7 0.79 0.226

24 15 Norway 1 6 1.31 0.218

25 29 Germany 18 48 0.58 0.218

26 30 France 13 33 0.55 0.217

27 32 Kazakhst 3 8 0.55 0.206

28 33 Gr Britain 12 30 0.5 0.200

29 26 Korea 9 30 0.65 0.195

30 43 Belgium 2 3 0.29 0.193

31 31 Italy 11 32 0.55 0.189

32 34 Ukraine 9 23 0.46 0.180

33 40 Israel 1 2 0.31 0.155

34 45 Poland 5 10 0.26 0.130

35 18 Austria 1 7 0.88 0.126

36 35 Spain 5 19 0.46 0.121

37 54 Argentina 4 6 0.16 0.107

38 39 USA 29 103 0.36 0.101

39 44 Portugal 1 3 0.29 0.097

40 37 Canada 3 12 0.38 0.095

41 42 Japan 12 37 0.29 0.094

42 63 Venezuela 2 2 0.08 0.080

43 50 Zimbabwe 1 3 0.2 0.067

44 49 Chile 1 3 0.2 0.067

45 47 Kenya 2 7 0.23 0.066

46 57 Thailand 4 8 0.13 0.065

47 55 Turkey 4 10 0.14 0.056

48 68 Syria 1 1 0.05 0.050

49 58 Sth Africa 2 6 0.13 0.043

50 51 DPR Kor 1 5 0.2 0.040

51 64 Egypt 3 5 0.065 0.039

52 59 Ethiopia 2 7 0.11 0.031

53 62 I. R. Iran 2 6 0.09 0.030

54 72 Colombia 1 1 0.02 0.020

55 65 Brazil 3 10 0.06 0.018

56 69 Uzbekistan 2 5 0.04 0.016

57 67 China 14 63 0.05 0.011

58 70 Mexico 1 4 0.04 0.010

59 71 Indonesia 2 4 0.02 0.010

60 73 Nigeria 2 2 0.01 0.010

[MongolPower]

I would think giving some points to medals make sense. Gold 3 points, Silver 2 points, Bronze 1 points.

If information is available. 6th place 1 point, 5th place 2 points and so on gold medal 6 points. Then per population.