The difference a century makes
While most of the world is captivated by whether or not winning eight gold medals is worthy of being the greatest Olympian ever, or whether to count all medals or just gold ones to determine the winning national team, we think it is a good time to take a longer view.
Our friends at the New York Times have produced what is arguably the greatest Olympics infographic ever. In true Hans Rosling style, it shows the medal counts by country for every modern summer Olympics ever held represented as a world map.
As you scroll through the data you can see the rise and fall of world powers, you can see Cold War boycotts, but most strikingly you can see how much the world we live in has changed.
During the 1908 summer Olympics held in London, Britain won more medals than the rest of the world combined. Not a single one was won by an Asian or South American country.
Fast forward a hundred years, and it is clear we live in a fundamentally different world. One defined by the rise of the rest, to borrow a phrase from Fareed Zakaria.
If you ask us, it is a welcome shift.
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