In the annals of Olympic history, Michael Phelps stands in a league of his own, possessing a dominance often described as "extraterrestrial." With a career total of 23 gold medals, he doesn't just top the list; he eclipses entire nations. If Phelps were a country, his gold medal tally would rank higher than that of over 160 nations in Summer Olympic history.

To put his achievement into perspective, even the legends following him on this list—such as Larisa Latynina with her 9 golds—would struggle to match his record even if their totals were combined. Spanning from Athens 2004 to Rio 2016, the "Baltimore Bullet's" reign created a sporting pinnacle that is likely to remain untouched for generations.