Olympic Medal Count 2012 Chart: Countries That Were the Greatest Disappointment
In the Olympics, there’s no “try again next year”.
You have to wait four.
That’s why when countries disappointed in the 2012 medal count chart, they really disappointed.
Here are the top five nations in the final medal standings and the ones that blew it the most.
 |  |  | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | United States Total: 104 | 46 | 29 | 29 |
 | China Total: 87 | 38 | 27 | 22 |
 | Russia Total: 82 | 24 | 25 | 33 |
 | Great Britain Total: 65 | 29 | 17 | 19 |
 | Germany Total: 44 | 11 | 19 | 14 |
3. Canada
While Canada is a far more prestigious competitor in the Winter Olympics, it still had a reputation to uphold in the summer. And it failed.
The Canadians have claimed the 20th most golds in Summer Olympic history, but in London, they only won one—one measly medal. They won three last year. But what hurts the most about their Olympic letdown is the fact that they came so close so many times.
Canada took home five silver medals and 12 bronze. It’s the only team in the entire Games that won double-digit total medals but couldn’t win multiple events.
2. Kenya
Kenya is supposed to be a long-distance juggernaut. In Beijing, it was just that.
The Kenyans won a whopping six gold medals—only Team USA itself won more. In 2012, they couldn’t live up to the expectations that they built the previous Games, not even close.
Only David Rudisha and Ezekiel Kemboi managed to win gold. With just two victories, Kenya didn’t even finish among the top five track and field nations.
1. Brazil
Brazil was never an Olympic powerhouse, but here’s the thing: how do you have over 200 million people in your country and win just three gold medals? Jamaica is literally 70 times smaller than Brazil, and Usain Bolt and company won four.
And it isn’t like the Brazilians have a shortage of athletes—they sent more competitors to London than South Korea, who won 13 golds.
What clinched a spot on this list, though, was Brazil’s football team. Even after it lost to Mexico, many still believe the Brazilians boasted the best team on paper in Olympic history. When you have that much talent and still lose, you earn the top spot on a list of disappointments.
David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.
