21 Elite Olympians Who Competed In Both The Summer And Winter Games, Including The Only 5 Who've Won Medals In Both

The athletes who make it to the Olympics are the best in the game (no pun intended). As if completely mastering one sport wasn't enough, some Olympians have reached the top of two sports and competed in both the Summer and the Winter Games.

VHI / Via giphy.com

An even more select few have won medals in both competitions.

Here are 21 athletes who competed in both the Summer and Winter Olympics:

1.Hungarian athlete István Déván was the first person to compete in both Olympics.

2.American athlete Eddie Eagon is the only person in history to win a gold medal at both competitions — for boxing at the 1920 Summer Olympics and for bobsledding at the 1932 Winter Olympics.

3.Jacob Tullin Thams won the ski jumping gold medal for Norway at the first Winter Olympics in 1924, and he later won the silver medal in sailing at the 1936 Summer Games.

4.German speed skater Christa Luding-Rothenburger won gold in the 1000m and silver in the 500m at the 1988 Winter Olympics.

She then won silver in the track cycling sprint competition at the 1988 Summer Olympics, making her the first athlete to medal at the Summer and Winter Olympics in the same year.

5.Canadian cyclist Clara Hughes won her first two bronze medals at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

However, after she failed to make the podium in 2000, she returned to speed skating — the sport she initially pursued — and became the only athlete in history to win multiple medals across both the Summer and Winter Games.

6.Japanese snowboarder Ayumu Hirano won two Winter Olympics silver medals — one in 2014 and one in 2018.

He also competed in skateboarding at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

7.Canadian athlete Vincent De Haître competed as a cyclist in the 2020 Summer Olympics.

180 days later, he arrived at the 2022 Winter Olympics to compete as a speed skater.

8.American speed skater Eddy Alvarez won a silver medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Then, he won another silver medal in baseball at the 2020 Summer Games.

9.Tongan athlete Pita Taufatofua — aka the country's famously oiled-up flag bearer — competed in Taekwondo at the 2016 and 2020 Summer Games.

He pivoted to cross-country skiing for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

10.Czech athlete Eva Vrabcová-Nývltová competed in cross-country skiing at the Winter Olympics in 2006, 2010, and 2014.

Then, she pivoted to competing in athletics at the Summer Olympics in 2016 and 2020.

11.Dutch athlete Laurine van Riessen won a bronze medal in speed skating at the 2010 Winter Games and competed again in 2014.

Then, she entered the Summer Games as a cyclist in 2016 and 2020.

12.Canadian athlete Georgia Simmerling started her Olympic journey as a skier at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Games.

However, she won a bronze medal in cycling at the 2016 Summer Games then competed again in 2020.

13.Dutch athlete Jeroen Straathof was the first and only person to compete in the Summer Olympics, the Winter Olympics, and the Paralympics.

14.Nigerian athlete Seun Adigun competed in the athletics competition at the 2012 Summer Games.

Then, as part of the country's first bobsledding team, she competed in the 2018 Winter Games.

15.Representing Lebanon, skier Chirine Njeim competed in the Winter Olympics in 2002, 2006, and 2010.

Then, after taking up marathon running, she competed in athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

16.Hungarian athlete Leila Gyenesei competed in cross country skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics.

The, she pivoted to the modern pentathlon for the 2008 Summer Olympics.

17.Brazilian athlete Jaqueline Mourão has competed in three different sports, starting with mountain biking at the 2004, 2008, and 2020 Summer Games.

She then transitioned to cross-country skiing at the 2006 and 2010 Winter Games.

Finally, she competed in both cross-country skiing and the biathlon (which involves skiing and shooting) at the 2014 Winter Games.

18.Canadian ice hockey player Hayley Wickenheiser helped her team bring home the silver medal at the 1998 Winter Games, and she won the gold medal at the 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014 Winter Games.

However, for the 2000 Summer Games, she joined the softball team.

19.French athlete Sophie Villeneuve competed as a cross-country skier in the 1992, 1994, and 1998 Winter Games. Then, she switched to mountain biking for the 2000 Summer Games.

20.Jorge Bonnet represented Puerto Rico in the judo competition at the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics. Then, he joined the bobsledding team for the 1992, 1994, and 1998 Winter Games.

21.And finally, American track star Lauryn Williams won a silver medal in the athletics competition at the 2004 Summer Olympics, placed fourth in 2008, and took home the gold in 2012.

Then, six months before the 2014 Winter Games, she joined the bobsledding team. She helped them bring home the silver medal — making her the first American woman to win medals at both Olympics.

Bonus fact: the athletics competitor to bobsledder pipeline is strong. Since 1920, 48 track and field athletes besides Williams have made the switch to bobsledding and competed in both the Summer and Winter Olympics.