Olympic Medals, an different analysis

The 2008 Beijing Olympics is over and the medal count final, hopefully. The United States of America (USA) won the most medals at 110. While the Chinese won the most gold medals at 51.

An analysis of the populations and medals count provides a different outcome. One nation with a larger population than another, has a large pool of athletes to select from, thus enhancing their ability to earn more medals, more gold.

ALL MEDALS:

---USA
300 million people
110 medals
2.5 million people per medal

---China
1.5 billion people
100 medals
13 million people per medal

GOLD MEDALS:

---USA
300 million people
36 gold medals
8.3 million people per gold medal

---China
1.5 billion people
51 gold medals
25.5 million people per gold medal

A further analysis of those nations earning ten or more medals provides a different result:

ALL MEDALS:

---Jamaica
2.5 million people
11 medals
200 thousand people per medal

---USA
300 million people
110 medals
2.5 million people per medal

---China
1.5 billion people
100 medals
13 million people per medal

GOLD MEDALS:

---Jamaica
2.5 million people
6 gold medals
400 thousand people per gold medal

---USA
300 million people
36 gold medals
8.3 million people per gold medal

---China
1.5 billion people
51 gold medals
25.5 million people per gold medal

Comparing populations and medals it shows the nation of Jamaica had the best overall performance. The above was taken from those nations earning ten or more medals.

Congratulations Jamaica on your achievement!

The music towards the end played along with the photographs of Jamaica and the Jamaican Olympians, is the Jamaican National Anthem.