Leonidas

Leonidas is the most honored of all Ancient Olympic athletes. He won 12 individual titles in the Olympic Games, more than any other athlete – ancient or modern – until it was beaten at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics by Michael Phelps when he won his 13th individual gold medal in the 200 individual medley. Leonidas won the stadion, diaulos, and the hoplite race (race in armor) at four consecutive Olympics – 164-152 BCE. He was said to have “the speed of a God.” He won his last titles when he was 36 years old.