The 1992 Olympic games took place in Barcelona, Spain between 25th July and 9th August 1992. The multi-sport event brought together even 9,356 athletes from 169 different nations. These competed in even 25 sports accommodated in 257 events. This being said, the Barcelona Olympic Medals offered a lot to be remembered for.
We may be speaking of the most successful Olympic games and host nation in modern times. It was the very first occasion since 1972 when the games were peaceful, and the global political movements didn’t have an impact.
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What makes this event so special?
For starters, it was one of the not that many events to be opened by a King. The rank nation gave the word to King Juan Carlos and organized a spectacular opening ceremony. The events took place at the Stadium Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona. It was also there where the Olympic medals were awarded. That was an Olympic flame to remember!
It would be difficult to imagine the Olympics without Taekwondo nowadays, but it was first introduced in Barcelona. The same goes for Roller Hockey and Basque Pelota. A further interesting fact is that the Soviet Republics at the time competed as a Unified Team, and won the most gold medals at the Games.
There were many innovations
1992 followed the disintegration of the USSR. Yet, twelve of the former members participated as a Unified Team. Some of the countries decided to rank independently on the medal table, including Lithuania and Estonia. It was the first time for them to join as sovereign states after the Berlin Games in 1936.
It was also the first time for the former Yugoslav republics to join as independent countries. We saw the flags of Croatia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and they each won at least one medal.
When it comes to South Africa, the world witnessed the final and decisive victory against the racist apartheid policy. These countries were no longer banned, for the first time in over 30 years.
The 1992 Olympics medal table
In this 1992 Olympics Medal Table, you can find a list of all medals won during the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. The Soviet Unified team leads with the most gold medals. It is followed by the US when it comes to silver medals and bronze medals.
Let’s check who had the most gold medals, silver medals, and bronze medals.
This table was created with wpDataTables. Check out yourself how easy it is to create a table.
The champions we will remember
Accomplishments in individual sports
Gymnast Vitaly Scherbo gained most of his glory in Barcelona in 1992. His performance was so impressive, that many believe it was never surpassed.
Scherbo is the first gymnast to ever win 6 medals at a single tournament. Also in terms of gold, he won the most medals at the Olympic games. He was the best in still rings, vault, pommel horse, parallel bars, and even combined exercises. The International Olympics Committee awarded him the Olympics medal as a member of the Soviet joint team.
The total medals number remained as it is, as Scherbo retired only 5 years later. He started his gymnastics school in the US. Since 2009, he is included in the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.
Hungarian swimmer Krisztina Egerszegi also had incredible success. She brought three golds to the entity represented, which is more than any other female competitor. She excelled at the backstroke events, where she set new records. Her performance was also excellent in the 400-meter individual medley. Egerszegi was named Best Female Swimmer of the Year even two times, in 1991 and 1992.
Notable was also the success of the Cuban boxers, who won even 7 of the 12 available titles.
Let’s also mention Carl Lewis and his great accomplishments in the long jump with a leap and 4×100-meter relay. He set a new world record of 37.40 seconds and won eighth gold exactly in Barcelona.
Accomplishments in team sports
The Dream Team
Barcelona also enabled the admittance of leading NBA stars and witnessed the formation of the US Dream Team. The basketball crew featured stars Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and other key players. To that point, Americans could only send college players to compete with European and South African teams.
As expected, the Dream Team won without fuss. They also became part of the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
Of course, these players deserve credit for their individual achievements, but it was amazing to see them play as a team in Barcelona. Something like this was never seen before. It didn’t matter who won the silver medals or the bronze medals. People simply enjoyed looking at them play. No wonder they crashed the Olympic medal table.
If you enjoyed reading about the best basketball team the world has ever seen, check these facts:
- The Dream Team played 8 times during the Games, but Chuck Daly never used a timeout.
- The field shots percentage for the Dream Team was even 57.8%, which is way bigger than the number of their opponents, which was 36.5%.
- Charles Barkley did an amazing job. He shot 87.5% from downtown and 71.1% from the field.
- The average point score of the Dream Team was 117.3 per game. Note that only 73.5 were allowed!
- The Team had an average victory margin of almost 44 points.
- The tightest game they had was the one for the gold. It was against Croatia, and they only led by 32 points.
- The Dream Team won against Angola 116-48. This was their best accomplishment.
When it comes to football, the host nation brought forward their best local players and won. Poland had the second place, while Ghana won third.
Check the following 1992 Olympics medal table to see the exact team results from the Olympics in Barcelona.
This table was created with wpDataTables. Check out yourself how easy it is to create a table.
The moments we will remember
As you read, there is plenty to appreciate when it comes to the 1992 Summer Olympics. Both the event and the competitions were remarkable, and it didn’t even matter who snapped the gold medal in the end.
It wasn’t a lucky year for athlete Derek Redmond. Halfway into his race, he tore the hammer string and fell, despite being a frontrunner for the medal. He was on the ground, bending in agony and excruciating pain. And yet, he didn’t let the medics get to him – he stood up and continued running! His father sent security over to assist him until the end, and he made it to the finishing line. The audience was out of their minds, standing and greeting him with ovations. Nobody can forget this great, heartwarming moment. It is indeed Olympic history.
Another fact that can’t be neglected is that even 67,000 people attended the glorious opening ceremony. The global audience, on the other hand, accounted for millions.
The Korean team had quite an unusual introduction. They were accompanied by soprano legend Montserrat Caballe. This was not all there was to it. Soon, Queen’s charismatic frontman Freddie Mercury appeared and sang along. This was, in fact, the official opening of the ceremony.
Let’s not forget also the moment when the Olympic torch got lit with a flaming arrow. The person in charge was popular archer Antonio Rebollo. Yet, this was more of a symbolic gesture, as the International Olympic Committee feared this may cause a fire.
What did the 1992 Barcelona Olympic games change?
Everyone who watched these games in real-time will agree they were a huge success. They were organized properly, competitions ran smoothly, and there was fair and equal ranking. Barcelona citizens were very happy to host an event of this size.
The city was and still is a true Mediterranean cosmopolitan resort. It is one of the most visited cities in Europe, following Rome, London, and Paris. If you haven’t been there, put it on the list and check it out!
To sum up, the event was a long-term investment. The facilities and installations are used up to date. The city offers one more sightseeing experience for its numerous visitors.
If you liked this article with the 1992 Olympics medal table, make sure to check out this one with the Beijing Olympic medal table and the all-time Olympic medal table.
