Who holds the record for the most Olympic medals?

Michael Phelps holds the record for the most Olympic medals by an athlete, with a remarkable total of 28 medals—23 of which are gold. His achievements span four Olympic Games from 2004 to 2016, during which he dominated his events, particularly in swimming. Phelps's combination of speed, technique, and endurance, along with his talent in various swimming disciplines, contributed significantly to his record-setting performance.

The other individuals mentioned have impressive accomplishments in their respective fields, but they do not hold the same Olympic medal record. Mark Spitz is known for his success in swimming during the 1968 and 1972 Olympics but won a total of 9 medals, far fewer than Phelps. Haruki Murakami is a renowned author and not an Olympic athlete, and Bjorn Borg, while a legendary tennis player, does not have a comparable number of Olympic medals to Phelps, as tennis was not included in the Olympics for many years during Borg's career. This context highlights why Michael Phelps is recognized as the most decorated Olympian in history.