Which medal count is viewed as more important around the world: overall total or gold todal?

Question

Right now, I'm sure the majority of people in China would say gold, and the majority of people in the U.S. would say overall.

But around the world, in unbiased countries, which is considered more important? Would more people rather have their country win the overall total or the gold total?

Answer 1

Depends on where you live, I go by total but could care less if people go by gold, silver bronze, height, weight etc.

It only matters to you or how your country does it, don't worry about others.

btw, this is he 52 time today this question has been asked,

Answer 2

I would say Gold and while Us and China have Tons of Medals I think Country's that have only few or one should be just as proud its such a power play for some Country's and an honor to others to have just one.

Answer 3

In general it is gold.  But, say a country has won just 1 gold (no other medals) and another wins 50 silvers.  Now, do we say that the first one is better than the other??  Isn't something wrong with this picture? So, doesn't the overall count make more sense?

Answer 4

You will get different answers if you ask Russia, Iceland or Bahrain.

I am just pleased for any athlete who did their personal best. It's all you can ask for really. Any of the three medals are respectable wins. Even fourth.  

Answer 5

Gold.

Answer 6

Gold, definitely. Only if you can't get gold, you'll settle for the silver or bronze. And maybe start the overall-total medals criteria.

Answer 7

The total number of gold. Gold is perfection and the Olympics are about being the best, the perfect best..

Answer 8

What do other countries know? They don't have nearly as many gold as China or the U.S. or overall.

Answer 9

GOLD

If Phelps has 8 bronze medal, you'll say

Phelps 8 bronze > Bolt 3 gold metal ?

Answer 10

GOD is the ICQ rule . USA HAD Away the rule .

Answer 11

officially via the IOC.... by gold..

everywhere in the world other then the USA.. by gold

the USA, these games and perhaps others, there have been disputes and debates on whether they have always done it this way, by total...

EDIT: oh my, six thumbs down as I type, have I by chance hit a raw nerve??

Answer 12

The IOC goes by gold medal count.

The US media has historically ranked countries in an 'overall total' manner, with all medals being added up and a ranking based on which country has the greatest number.

Basiclly, Yahoo can make it total medal count, or gold medal count. But the IOC REALLY goes by gold medal count. The media just likes twist things around.

"The ranking sorts by the number of gold medals the athletes from a nation have earned (in this context, a "nation" is an entity represented by a National Olympic Committee)."

China ranked number 1.

The table original sorted here is the real medal count organized by the IOC.

Here, this will determine who ranked in medal count.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Summer...

Answer 13

Neither matters.  Two weeks after the Olympics are over, nobody will remember except the people who actually go the medals and their friends and families.  For the rest of their lives they will have the medals on their wall and people will come in and see them and say "Wow, you  were in the Olympics?"  I had a gym teacher in high school who was an Olympic pole vaulter, and he didn't even tell us, I read it in the yearbook (years later).

We make much too big a deal of the Olympics as a competition between countries.  It shouldn't be seen as that, it should be a competition between PEOPLE.  Countries have nothing to be proud or ashamed of that their people win or lose.  I think nationalism gets in the way when someone wins an event, then is given a flag from his country and dances around the arena waving the flag.  It shouldn't be about flags, it should be about the athletes themselves.

Winning medals in the Olympics doesn't help restore the US's prestige in the world.  WE have to do that.

Answer 14

Why does the people answer 'gold' will get a thumb down? Won't you all face the reality? Stop to be this ignorance

Answer 15

"Unbiased countries around the world"

Yeah i'm sure countries around the world wouldn't love to see the U.S. lose in anything.

Answer 16

Gold XD And If Ur In Da U.S Guess Wat Ur Not On Top :D

Answer 17

I asked three friends who have not been following the Olympics the same question, and all three said the exact same thing:

"Everyone knows it's the gold that matters."

Answer 18

Its the total number of gold

Answer 19

To determine an overall “Winner” there would need to be a scoring mechanism in place similar to team competition at track meets.  The top individual placement would have a weighted point associated with it to fairly gauge the strength of the team.  A “team” that gets 2nd & 3rd shows more depth than a team that only has one great athlete.

1st Gold Medal: 10 points

2nd Silver Medal: 7 points

3rd Bronze Medal: 5 points

4th No Medal:  3 points

5th No Medal:  2 points

Finalist finisher 1 point

Playing with the numbers this would make the “Overall “ competition much closer than just looking at the Gold or Total medal counts.  Keep in mind that the 1-point for finishing is important for the spirit of the games.  It is a small reward for those who compete with no hope of winning. Long after the medalist have finished in some of the running and walking races there are people out there that do not quit.

Of course to be fair, some sort of weighting for the size of the country would need to come into play.  China would definitely be in the large school division, as would the USA.  In the small school division I would have to say a country like Jamaica would be considered dominant.