As far as the USA is concerned, that honor would go to Colonel Matt Urban of Buffalo, NY (deceased 1995). He was called the most decorated combat soldier the USA has ever had.
As of the 2008 Games in Beijing, the woman athlete with the most Olympic medals is gymnast Larissa Latynina of the Soviet Union who participated in the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Summer Games. She won 9...
After the first week of the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, that is Ole Einar Bjørndalen of Norway with 10 (5 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze). He has won medals at the 1998, 2002, 2006, and 2010 Winter...
Through the 2008 Games in Beijing, that is Carl Osborn of the United States who won 11 Olympic shooting medals (5 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze) at the 1912, 1920, and 1924 Games.