A podium sweep is when one team wins all available medals in a single event in a sporting event. At the highest level, that would be when one nation wins all the medals in the Summer Olympics Athletics.[1]{{dead link|date=February 2018}} Many Olympic sports or events do not allow three entries into a single event in the Olympics, making a sweep impossible. But in Athletics the maximum for a single country is three.
In the beginning, before the Olympics became a global event, sweeps were more common amongst fewer competing countries and larger numbers of entries from a single country. After the 1908 Olympics, a sweep became an increasingly treasured status symbol of national dominance in an event. 1964 was the first Olympiad to have no sweeps. Since then there were no sweeps in 1972, 1996 and 2000.
Sweeps have happened in every long term event in the individual program, except the 5000 metres. It has happened eight times in the 200 metres and 110 metres hurdles, seven in the Shot Put. A steeplechase event has had a sweep five times, by four different countries.
Ray Ewry led 5 sweeps, including three from 1904, with Irving Baxter, Charles King and Joseph Stadler joining him in two each and Robert Garrett in one, plus adding a different sweep in 1900. That other sweep joined Josiah McCracken who was part of a different sweep. Ellery Clark, Robert Garrett and James Connolly swept two events together in 1896. Archie Hahn, Nate Cartmell and William Hogenson duplicated that in 1904. More recently, Carl Lewis has led three Olympic sweeps, Mike Powell has finished behind him in two. Yuriy Sedykh, Glenn Davis and Lee Calhoun have also led two sweeps, Sedykh later a participant in a third in 1988 that involved a reordering of the same three from 1980.
Olympiad | Event | Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | 1896 Athens | High jump {{DetailsLink|Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's high jump}} | {{flagIOCteam|USA|1896 Summer}} | Ellery Clark 1.81 m | James Connolly 1.65 m | none awarded |
Robert Garrett 1.65 m |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – Men's long jump}}USA|1896 Summer}} | Ellery Clark 6.35 m | Robert Garrett 6.00 m | James Connolly 5.84 m |
1900 Paris | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Men's 110 metres hurdles}} | USA|1900 Summer}} | Alvin Kraenzlein 15.4 s | John McLean 15.5 s | Frederick Moloney 15.6 s |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Men's 4000 metres steeplechase}} | GBR|1900 Summer}} | John Rimmer 12:58.4 | Charles Bennett 12:58.6 | Sidney Robinson 12:58.8 |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Men's triple jump}} | USA|1900 Summer}} | Myer Prinstein 14.47 m | James Connolly 13.97 m | Lewis Sheldon 13.64 m |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Men's standing triple jump}} | USA|1900 Summer}} | Ray Ewry 10.58 m | Irving Baxter 9.95 m | Robert Garrett 9.50 m |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Men's standing high jump}} | USA|1900 Summer}} | Ray Ewry 1.655 m | Irving Baxter 1.525 m | Lewis Sheldon 1.500 m |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Men's shot put}} | USA|1900 Summer}} | Richard Sheldon 14.10 m | Josiah McCracken 12.85 m | Robert Garrett 12.37 m |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Men's hammer throw}} | USA|1900 Summer}} | John Flanagan 51.01 m | Truxtun Hare 46.26 m | Josiah McCracken 43.58 m |
1904 St. Louis | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's 60 metres}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | Archie Hahn 7.0 s | William Hogenson 7.2 s | Fay Moulton 7.2 s |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metres}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | Archie Hahn 11.0 s | Nate Cartmell 11.2 s | William Hogenson 11.2 s |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | Archie Hahn 21.6 s | Nate Cartmell 21.9 s | William Hogenson |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | Harry Hillman 49.2 s | Frank Waller 49.9 s | Herman Groman 50.0 s |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's 800 metres}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | James Lightbody 1:56.0 | Howard Valentine 1:56.3 | Emil Breitkreutz 1:56.4 |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | James Lightbody 4:05.4 | Frank Verner 4:06.8 | Lacey Hearn |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | Thomas Hicks 3:28:53 | Albert Corey 3:34:52* | Arthur Newton 3:47:33 |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's 110 metres hurdles}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | Fred Schule 16.0 s | Thaddeus Shideler 16.3 s | Lesley Ashburner 16.4 s |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres hurdles}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | Harry Hillman 24.6 s | Frank Castleman 24.9 s | George Poage |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres hurdles}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | Harry Hillman 53.0 s | Frank Waller 53.2 s | George Poage 56.8 s |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's long jump}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | Myer Prinstein 7.34 m | Daniel Frank 6.89 m | Robert Stangland 6.88 m |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's triple jump}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | Myer Prinstein 14.35 m | Fred Englehardt 13.90 m | Robert Stangland 13.36 m |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's pole vault}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | Charles Dvorak | LeRoy Samse | Louis Wilkins |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's standing long jump}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | Ray Ewry | Charles King | John Biller |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's standing triple jump}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | Ray Ewry | Charles King | Joseph Stadler |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's standing high jump}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | Ray Ewry | Joseph Stadler | Lawson Robertson |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's shot put}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | Ralph Rose | Wesley Coe | Lawrence Feuerbach |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's hammer throw}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | John Flanagan | John DeWitt | Ralph Rose |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1904 Summer Olympics – Men's triathlon}} | USA|1904 Summer}} | Max Emmerich | John Grieb | William Merz |
1908 London | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's 110 metres hurdles}} | USA|1908 Summer}} | Forrest Smithson | John Garrels | Arthur Shaw |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw}} | USA|1908 Summer}} | Martin Sheridan | Merritt Giffin | Bill Horr |
1912 Stockholm | | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metres}}USA|1912 Summer}} | Ralph Craig | Alvah Meyer | Donald Lippincott |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's 800 metres}}USA|1912 Summer}} | Ted Meredith | Mel Sheppard | Ira Davenport |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's 110 metres hurdles}}USA|1912 Summer}} | Fred Kelly | James Wendell | Martin Hawkins |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's triple jump}}SWE|1912 Summer}} | Gustaf Lindblom | Georg Åberg | Erik Almlöf |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's shot put}}USA|1912 Summer}} | Pat McDonald | Ralph Rose | Lawrence Whitney |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's two handed javelin throw}}FIN|1912 Summer}} | Julius Saaristo | Väinö Siikaniemi | Urho Peltonen |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's decathlon}}SWE|1912 Summer}} | Hugo Wieslander | Charles Lomberg | Gösta Holmér |
1920 Antwerp | | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics – Men's javelin throw}}FIN|1920 Summer}} | Jonni Myyrä | Urho Peltonen | Pekka Johansson |
1924 Paris | | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1924 Summer Olympics – Men's pole vault}}USA|1924 Summer}} | Lee Barnes | Glen Graham | James Brooker |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1924 Summer Olympics – Men's shot put}}USA|1924 Summer}} | Bud Houser | Glenn Hartranft | Ralph Hills |
1928 Amsterdam | | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1928 Summer Olympics – Men's 3000 metres steeplechase}}FIN|1928 Summer}} | Toivo Loukola 9:21.8 WR | Paavo Nurmi 9:31.2 | Ove Andersen 9:35.6 |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1928 Summer Olympics – Men's pole vault}}USA|1928 Summer}} | Sabin Carr 4.20 | William Droegemuller 4.10 | Charles McGinnis 3.95 |
1932 Los Angeles | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1932 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres}} | USA|1932 Summer}} | Eddie Tolan 21.2 | George Simpson 21.4 | Ralph Metcalfe 21.5 |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1932 Summer Olympics – Men's javelin throw}}FIN|1932 Summer}} | Matti Järvinen 72.71 m | Matti Sippala 69.80 m | Eino Penttilä 68.70 m |
1936 Berlin | | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men's 10,000 metres}}FIN|1936 Summer}} | Ilmari Salminen 30:15.4 | Arvo Askola 30:15.6 | Volmari Iso-Hollo 30:20.2 |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men's high jump}}USA|1936 Summer}} | Cornelius Johnson 2.03 m | Dave Albritton 2.00 m | Delos Thurber 2.00 m |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men's decathlon}}USA|1936 Summer}} | Glenn Morris 7900 | Bob Clark 7601 | Jack Parker 7275 |
1948 London | | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's 110 metres hurdles}}USA|1948 Summer}} | William Porter 13.9 | Clyde Scott 14.1 | Craig Dixon 14.1 |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's 3000 metres steeplechase}}SWE|1948 Summer}} | Tore Sjöstrand 9:04.6 | Erik Elmsäter 9:08.2 | Göte Hagström 9:11.8 |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's shot put}}USA|1948 Summer}} | Wilbur Thompson 17.12 m | Jim Delaney 16.68 m | Jim Fuchs 16.42 m |
1952 Helsinki | | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1952 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres}}USA|1952 Summer}} | Andy Stanfield 20.7 | Thane Baker 20.8 | James Gathers 20.8 |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1952 Summer Olympics – Men's 110 metres hurdles}}USA|1952 Summer}} | Harrison Dillard 13.7 | Jack Davis 13.7 | Arthur Barnard 14.1 |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1952 Summer Olympics – Men's shot put}}USA|1952 Summer}} | Parry O'Brien17.41 m | Darrow Hooper 17.39 m | Jim Fuchs 17.06 m |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1952 Summer Olympics – Men's decathlon}}USA|1952 Summer}} | Bob Mathias 7,887 pts | Milt Campbell 6,975 pts | Floyd Simmons 6,788 pts |
1956 Melbourne | | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1956 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres}}USA|1956 Summer}} | Bobby Morrow 20.6 (OR) | Andy Stanfield 20.7 | Thane Baker 20.9 |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1956 Summer Olympics – Men's 110 metres hurdles}}USA|1956 Summer}} | Lee Calhoun 13.5 (OR) | Jack Davis 13.5 (OR) | Joel Shankle 14.1 |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1956 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres hurdles}}USA|1956 Summer}} | Glenn Davis 50.1 (=OR) | Eddie Southern 50.8 | Joshua Culbreath 51.6 |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1956 Summer Olympics – Men's 20 kilometres walk}}URS|1956 Summer}} | Leonid Spirin 1:31:27.4 | Antanas Mikėnas 1:32:03.0 | Bruno Junk 1:32:12.0 |
| {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1956 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw}}USA|1956 Summer}} | Al Oerter 56.36 m (OR) | Fortune Gordien 54.81 m | Desmond Koch 54.40 m |
1960 Rome | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1960 Summer Olympics – Men's 110 metres hurdles}} | USA|1960 Summer}} | Lee Calhoun 13.8 | William May 13.8 | Hayes Jones 14.0 |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1960 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres hurdles}} | USA|1960 Summer}} | Glenn Davis 49.3 (OR) | Clifton Cushman 49.6 | Dick Howard 49.7 |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1960 Summer Olympics – Men's shot put}} | USA|1960 Summer}} | Bill Nieder 19.68 m (OR) | Parry O'Brien 19.11 m | Dallas Long 19.01 m |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1960 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw}} | USA|1960 Summer}} | Al Oerter 59.18 m (OR) | Rink Babka 58.02 m | Dick Cochran 57.16 m |
1968 Mexico City | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres}} | USA|1968 Summer}} | Lee Evans 43.86 (WR) | Larry James 43.97 | Ron Freeman 44.41 |
1976 Montreal | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1976 Summer Olympics – Men's hammer throw}} | URS|1976 Summer}} | Yuriy Sedykh 77.52 m | Aleksey Spiridonov 76.08 m | Anatoliy Bondarchuk 75.48 m |
1980 Moscow | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics – Men's hammer throw}} | URS|1980 Summer}} | Yuriy Sedykh 81.80 m WR | Sergey Litvinov 80.64 m | Jüri Tamm 78.96 m |
1984 Los Angeles | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres}} | USA|1984 Summer}} | Carl Lewis 19.80 OR | Kirk Baptiste 19.96 | Thomas Jefferson 20.26 |
1988 Seoul | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres}} | USA|1988 Summer}} | Steve Lewis 43.87 | Butch Reynolds 43.93 | Danny Everett 44.09 |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's long jump}} | USA|1988 Summer}} | Carl Lewis 8.72 m | Mike Powell 8.49 m | Larry Myricks 8.27 m |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's pole vault}} | URS|1988 Summer}} | Sergey Bubka 5.90 m | Radion Gataullin 5.85 m | Grigoriy Yegorov 5.80 m |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's hammer throw}} | URS|1988 Summer}} | Sergey Litvinov 84.80 m OR | Yuriy Sedykh 83.76 m | Jüri Tamm 81.16 m |
1992 Barcelona | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Men's 3000 metres steeplechase}} | KEN|1992 Summer}} | Matthew Birir 8:08.84 | Patrick Sang 8:09.55 | William Mutwol 8:10.74 |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Men's long jump}} | USA|1992 Summer}} | Carl Lewis 8.67 m | Mike Powell 8.64 m | Joe Greene 8.34 m |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Men's hammer throw}} | EUN|1992 Summer}} | Andrey Abduvaliyev 82.54 m | Igor Astapkovich 81.96 m | Igor Nikulin 81.38 m |
2004 Athens | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres}} | USA|2004 Summer}} | Shawn Crawford 19.79 | Bernard Williams 20.01 | Justin Gatlin 20.03 |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres}} | USA|2004 Summer}} | Jeremy Wariner 44.00 | Otis Harris 44.16 | Derrick Brew 44.42 |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Men's 3000 metres steeplechase}} | KEN|2004 Summer}} | Ezekiel Kemboi 8:05.81 | Brimin Kipruto 8:06.11 | Paul Kipsiele Koech 8:06.64 |
2008 Beijing | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres}} | USA|2008 Summer}} | LaShawn Merritt 43.75
| Jeremy Wariner 44.74 | David Neville 44.80 |
{{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres hurdles}} | USA|2008 Summer}} | Angelo Taylor 47.25 | Kerron Clement 47.98 | Bershawn Jackson 48.06 |
2012 London | | {{DetailsLink>Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres}}JAM|2012 Summer}} | Usain Bolt 19.32 | Yohan Blake 19.44 | Warren Weir 19.84 |
With the majority of women's competitions happening in more modern, competitive times, sweeps have only occurred seven times. The Pentathlon is the only event to have more than one occurrence, coincidentally in back to back Olympiads by different countries.