Soviet Union at the 1988 Summer Olympics — country participating in the Olympic Games
The USSR's final Olympic appearance produced the largest medal tally ever by a non-host nation: 55 gold and 132 total medals.
Key Facts
- Total medals won
- 132 medals
- Gold medals won
- 55 gold medals
- Competitors sent
- 481 (319 men, 162 women)
- Events contested
- 221 in 27 sports
- Record context
- Largest tally ever by a non-host nation
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Soviet Union had boycotted the 1984 Los Angeles Games but returned to Olympic competition in 1988. As a still-unified superstate with vast state-sponsored athletic infrastructure, it fielded 481 competitors across 27 sports at the Seoul Summer Olympics.
Competing at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul for the last time as a unified nation, the Soviet Union entered 481 athletes in 221 events across 27 sports. The delegation amassed 55 gold medals and 132 total medals, dominating the overall medal standings.
The Soviet Union's 132-medal haul stands as the largest Olympic tally ever recorded by a non-host nation. Following the USSR's dissolution, athletes from 12 former Soviet republics competed as the Unified Team at the 1992 Games, after which each nation fielded independent teams.
Result
at Seoul, South Korea