10) Ryan Lochte (eleven medals and five golds).

Lochte might be the greatest swimmer in the world right now.   He currently holds four world records in the 100 meter medley, 200 meter medley, and 400 meter medley in addition to the 4 x 200 meter free style relay.  Lochte is a true competitor and contributor to the US Olympic team, winning gold medals in 2004 (Athens), 2008 (Beijing), and 2012 (London).

9) Bonnie Blair (six medals and five golds).

Bonnie Blair is undoubtedly one of, if not the, greatest American Winter Olympic athletes of all time.  She dominated the 500 meter and 1000 meter speed skating from 1988 to 1994, and became one of the most decorated athletes in Olympic history.  She was elected into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame in 2004.

8) Apolo Ohno (eight medals and two golds).

Apolo is the most decorated American Winter Olympic athlete of all time if equality of medals is considered (as in gold is worth the same as a bronze).  He was a true prodigy, becoming the US national champion of short track speed skating at the age of 14.

7) Michael Johnson (four medals and four golds).

Johnson is considered by many to be to be one of the greatest sprinters of all time.  The only Olympic or World Championship medal he has ever won has been gold (four Olympic gold medals and eight World Championship golds).  In addition, he is the only male to ever win the 200 meter dash and the 400 meter dash in the same Olympics.

6) Ray Ewry (eight medals and eight golds).

Ewry was one of the most successful Olympians of all time, winning eight gold medals in the Olympic Games in Paris (1900), St. Louis (1904), and London (1908).  Incredibly, he is a survivor of polio and as a boy spent time in a wheelchair.  He dominated the standing high, standing triple, and standing long jump events.  He lived to be a month shy of 100 years old.

5) Jenny Thompson (12 medals and eight golds).

Thompson competed in the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 Olympic games as a swimmer.  She dominated the freestyle events on her way to eight gold medals.  Her eight gold medals are the most of any female Olympic swimmer in history.

3) Carl Lewis (10 medals and nine golds).

Carl Lewis is a true legend.  He was award “Sportsman of the Century” by the International Olympic Committee and “Olympian of the Century” by Sports Illustrated.  He competed in the 100 meter, 200 meter, Long Jump, and 4 x 100 meter relay.  Lewis dominated his sport from 1981 to 1996, and also serves as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador.

4) Mark Spitz (11 medals and nine golds).

Spitz and Carl Lewis are dead even as athletes, however Spitz gets the nod for his legendary mustache.   Spitz incredibly won seven medals in the 1972 Summer Olympics, a record which would stand until 2008.  Nicknamed “Mark the Shark,” Spitz is considered by most to be the second greatest swimmer of all time.

2) Jesse Owens (four medals and four golds).

While not as successful in terms of medal count as other United States Olympians, Jesse Owen’s legacy and talent as an athlete cannot be denied.  His story is renowned: competing in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Owens won Gold in the 100 meter, 200 meter, Long Jump, and 4 x 100 meter relay, becoming the most successful athlete in the games.

1) Michael Phelps (22 medals and 18 golds).

As the most decorated Olympian of all time, Phelps tops this list as the greatest American Olympic athlete.  He holds the records for the most gold medals, most medals in individual events, and the most first-place finishes in any single Olympic games (beating Spitz with 8 Golds in 2008).  Phelps casts his shadow on all other athletes, and many of his records might stand forever.