Most Consecutive Olympic Gold Medals in Men's Basketball (7, 1936–1968)

Lore & Background

The Indian men's field hockey team was dominant in the Olympic Games, winning eleven medals in twelve Olympics between 1928 and 1980 including eight gold medals of which six were won consecutively from 1928 to 1956. India's best performance happened at the 2020 Games, with seven medals, including a gold and two silver.

In Their Own Story

The rain fell in sheets over the Berlin tennis courts, turning the clay to mud. The year was 1936, and basketball was making its Olympic debut. The American players, in their heavy wool uniforms, slipped and slid as they passed the ball, their dribbles splashing in puddles. The final score was 19–8, the lowest in Olympic history. No one knew it then, but that muddy game was the first step in a golden march that would span three decades and seven Olympics—a streak that would become the stuff of legend. From that grimy beginning, the U.S. would go on to crush opponents by an average of 42 points, introduce the world to future Hall of Famers, and cement a dynasty that only ended in a cloud of controversy.

Reader's Guide

India made its first appearance at the 1900 Summer Olympics as part of British India. A lone athlete Norman Pritchard represented the country and won two silver medals in athletics. India did not compete in the next three Summer Olympic Games. At the behest of then Governor of Bombay George Lloyd, Indian businessman Dorabji Tata secured representation for British India at the International Olympic Committee, enabling it to independently participate in the 1920 Summer Olympics. India sent a contingent of six competitors including four athletes and two wrestlers with two support staff. In 1923, a provisional All India Olympic Committee was formed, and in February 1924, the All India Olympic Games were held to select a team for the 1924 Summer Olympics at Paris. The Indian delegation at the Paris Olympics consisted of 14 competitors including eight in athletics and four in tennis, led by team manager Harry Buck. In 1927, the provisional Indian Olympic Committee was recognized by the International Olympic Committee and formally became the Indian Olympic Association. For the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, it selected eight competitors, which included seven in athletics and one swimmer. The Indian Hockey Federation sent the men's team to the 1928 Games. The hockey team won India's first gold medal in the Olympics at Amsterdam. This was the first gold medal won by any nation from Asia at the modern Olympic Games. For the 1932 Games, the Indian contingent consisted of the field hockey team and five athletes. For the subsequent 1936 Games, India sent a contingent consisting of the field hockey team and eight athletes, who competed in four sports. The only medals in the last two Games came from the Indian field hockey team, which won three consecutive gold medals from 1928 to 1936. The victory run included the largest victory margin in Olympics history after India defeated United States 24–1 in 1932 and the largest margin of victory in an Olympic final during the 8–1 defeat of Germany in the final in 1936. India gained its independence in 1947. It sent its first contingent as an independent country for the 1948 Summer Olympics held at London. The Indian contingent consisted of 79 athletes, who competed across ten sports. The Indian field hockey team won the lone medal, a gold, which was the first medal for India as an independent nation. The 1952 Summer Olympics m

Did You Know?

• Norman Pritchard won India's first Olympic medals, both silver, in athletics in 1900.
• The Indian men's field hockey team won six consecutive gold medals from 1928 to 1956.
• Abhinav Bindra became the first Indian individual gold medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
• Karnam Malleswari was the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal, a bronze in 2000.