The United States of America (USA), represented by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, from July 27 to August 12, 2012. U.S. athletes have competed at every Summer Olympic Games in the modern era, except the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow which they boycotted in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The USOC sent a total of 530 athletes to the Games, 262 men and 268 women, to compete in 25 sports. For the first time in its Olympic history, the United States was represented by more female than male athletes.
U.S. athletes left London with a total of 105 medals (48 gold, 26 silver and 31 bronze), finishing at the top of the gold and overall medal standings. The 48-gold medal record was the most the United States had ever won in any Olympics in which it was not the host nation. At least one medal was awarded to U.S. athletes in sixteen sports, thirteen of which contained at least one gold. U.S. athletes dominated the nations' medal standings in swimming, wherein they won a total of 31 medals, including 16 golds. Twenty-seven U.S. athletes won more than a single medal. The U.S. team-based athletes also proved particularly successful, as the women's soccer, water polo, and volleyball teams won gold and silver medals, respectively. Furthermore, the men's and women's basketball teams managed to defend their titles from Beijing. For the first time since 1936, no U.S. athlete won an Olympic medal in sailing.
Among the nation's medalists were swimmers Missy Franklin, Allison Schmitt and Ryan Lochte, who each won a total of five medals. Swimmer Nathan Adrian and platform diver David Boudia won gold medals in their respective individual events after 24-year-long non-successes. Meanwhile, tennis player Serena Williams followed her sister's success by winning the gold medal in the women's tennis singles event. Gymnast Gabby Douglas became the fourth U.S. female to win a gold medal in the individual all-around event. Allyson Felix became the most successful U.S. track-and-field athlete at the event, winning three gold medals. Swimmer Michael Phelps emerged as the most decorated athlete in Olympic history, with a total of 22 medals won (including four gold and two silver medals in London) – 18 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals – surpassing Larisa Latynina's overall Olympic medal count.
After the disqualification of Russian Ivan Ukhov for doping, Erik Kynard has finally got upgraded from silver to gold, which makes it the 47th US gold medal at these Games, the best American result in terms of gold medals in the Summer Olympics held outside of the United States. Lashinda Demus was promoted to the gold medal as well after another Russian, Natalya Antyukh, was found guilty of doping, bringing the total to 48 gold medals. Those events occurred in 2019 and 2024, respectively, as retests of drug samples from the Olympics indicated widespread Russian state-sponsored doping.
Medalists
The following U.S. competitors won medals at the games. In the by discipline sections below, medalists' names are bolded.
|style="text-align:left;width:78%;vertical-align:top"| MedalNameSportEventDate SwimmingMen's 400 m individual medley ShootingWomen's skeet SwimmingWomen's 100 m butterfly SwimmingMen's 100 m backstroke SwimmingWomen's 100 m backstroke McKayla MaroneyAly RaismanKyla RossJordyn WieberGymnastics Women's artistic team all-around ShootingMen's skeet Conor DwyerCharlie HouchinRyan LochteMatt McLeanMichael PhelpsDavis TarwaterSwimmingMen's 4 × 200 m freestyle relay SwimmingWomen's 200 m freestyle CyclingWomen's time trial SwimmingMen's 100 m freestyle Missy FranklinLauren PerdueAllison SchmittDana VollmerShannon VreelandSwimmingWomen's 4 × 200 m freestyle relay GymnasticsWomen's artistic individual all-around JudoWomen's 78 kg Caryn DaviesSusan FranciaCaroline LindEsther LofgrenElle LoganMeghan MusnickiTaylor RitzelMary WhippleRowingWomen's eight SwimmingMen's 200 m backstroke SwimmingMen's 200 m individual medley SwimmingWomen's 200 m breaststroke SwimmingMen's 100 m butterfly SwimmingWomen's 800 m freestyle SwimmingWomen's 200 m backstroke Jamie Lynn GrayShootingWomen's 50 m rifle 3 positions Matt GreversBrendan HansenCullen JonesTyler McGillMichael PhelpsEric ShanteauNick ThomanSwimmingMen's 4 × 100 m medley relay Claire DonahueMissy FranklinJessica HardyBreeja LarsonAllison SchmittRebecca SoniDana VollmerSwimmingWomen's 4 × 100 m medley relay Mike BryanTennisMen's doubles TennisWomen's singles Venus WilliamsTennisWomen's doubles AthleticsWomen's 400 m AthleticsWomen's pole vault AthleticsMen's high jump GymnasticsWomen's floor AthleticsMen's 110 m hurdles AthleticsWomen's 200 m AthleticsWomen's long jump Kerri Walsh JenningsVolleyballWomen's beach volleyball AthleticsWomen's 400 m hurdles BoxingWomen's middleweight FootballWomen's tournament AthleticsMen's triple jump AthleticsMen's decathlon Water poloWomen's tournament Carmelita JeterBianca KnightTianna MadisonJeneba TarmohLauryn WilliamsAthleticsWomen's 4 × 100 m relay WrestlingMen's freestyle 74 kg BasketballWomen's tournament DivingMen's 10 m platform Diamond DixonAllyson FelixFrancena McCororySanya Richards-RossDeeDee TrotterAthleticsWomen's 4 × 400 m relay BasketballMen's tournament WrestlingMen's freestyle 96 kg Jake KaminskiJacob WukieArcheryMen's team SwimmingWomen's 400 m individual medley Abigail JohnstonDivingWomen's 3 m synchronized springboard Ricky BerensJimmy FeigenMatt GreversCullen JonesJason LezakRyan LochteMichael PhelpsSwimmingMen's 4 × 100 m freestyle relay SwimmingWomen's 400 m freestyle SwimmingMen's 100 m backstroke SwimmingWomen's 100 m breaststroke SwimmingMen's 200 m butterfly SwimmingMen's 200 m individual medley SwimmingMen's 50 m freestyle Sarah HammerJennie ReedLauren TamayoCyclingWomen's team pursuit AthleticsMen's 10,000 m AthleticsWomen's 100 m GymnasticsWomen's vault AthleticsMen's 400 m hurdles CyclingWomen's omnium AthleticsMen's 1500 m AthleticsWomen's 100 m hurdles AthleticsMen's 110 m hurdles April RossVolleyballWomen's beach volleyball SwimmingWomen's 10 km open water AthleticsMen's triple jump AthleticsMen's decathlon Tony McQuayManteo MitchellBryshon NellumAngelo TaylorAthleticsMen's 4 × 400 m relay AthleticsWomen's high jump VolleyballWomen's tournament SwimmingMen's 400 m freestyle Missy FranklinJessica HardyLia NealAllison SchmittAmanda WeirSwimmingWomen's 4 × 100 m freestyle relay SwimmingMen's 100 m breaststroke Nicholas McCroryDivingMen's 10 m synchronized platform JudoWomen's 57 kg SwimmingWomen's 200 m individual medley Kristian IpsenDivingMen's 3 m synchronized springboard GymnasticsMen's artistic individual all-around Megan KalmoeKara KohlerAdrienne MartelliRowingWomen's quadruple sculls SwimmingMen's 200 m backstroke SwimmingWomen's 200 m backstroke AthleticsMen's shot put Kelley HurleyMaya LawrenceSusie ScanlanFencingWomen's team épée Scott GaultGlenn OchalHenrik RummelRowingMen's four AthleticsMen's long jump Lisa RaymondTennisMixed doubles AthleticsMen's 100 m AthleticsWomen's 400 m ShootingMen's 50 m rifle 3 positions GymnasticsWomen's balance beam Kellie WellsAthleticsWomen's 100 m hurdles BoxingWomen's flyweight AthleticsWomen's 200 m AthleticsWomen's long jump WrestlingWomen's freestyle 48 kg TaekwondoMen's 68 kgAthleticsWomen's 1500 m TaekwondoWomen's 67 kg CyclingWomen's cross-country WrestlingMen's freestyle 60 kg WrestlingMen's freestyle 120 kg |style="text-align:left;width:22%;vertical-align:top"|
+ Medals by sportSportTotalSwimming 16 9 631Athletics 11 10 829Gymnastics 3 1 26Shooting 3 0 14Tennis 3 0 14Wrestling 2 0 35Basketball 2 0 02Cycling 1 2 14Volleyball 1 2 03Diving 1 1 24Rowing 1 0 23Boxing 1 0 12Judo 1 0 12Football 1 0 01Water polo 1 0 01Archery 0 1 01Taekwondo 0 0 22Fencing 0 0 11Total 48 26 31105
+ Medals by dayDayDateTotal1July 28 1 2 252July 29 2 3 163July 30 2 2 264July 31 4 1 165August 1 3 0 366August 2 6 1 187August 3 3 1 268August 4 5 3 3119August 5 2 1 3610August 6 11 1311August 7 2 3 2712August 8 5 2 41113August 9 5 3 1914August 10 2 1 2515August 11 3 2 3816August 12 2 0 02Total 48 26 31105
+ Medals by genderGenderTotalPercentageFemale3013165956.2%Male1813144542.9%Mixed00110.9%Total 48 26 31105100%
+ Multiple medalistsNameSportTotal Michael PhelpsSwimming 4 2 06 Missy FranklinSwimming 4 0 15 Allison SchmittSwimming 3 1 15 Ryan LochteSwimming 2 2 15 Allyson FelixAthletics 3 0 03 Dana VollmerSwimming 3 0 03 Nathan AdrianSwimming 2 1 03 Matt GreversSwimming 2 1 03 Rebecca SoniSwimming 2 1 03 Aly RaismanGymnastics 2 0 13 Cullen JonesSwimming 1 2 03 Carmelita JeterAthletics 1 1 13 Gabby DouglasGymnastics 2 0 02 Sanya Richards-RossAthletics 2 0 02 Serena WilliamsTennis 2 0 02 Ricky BerensSwimming 1 1 02 Brendan HansenSwimming 1 1 02 McKayla MaroneyGymnastics 1 1 02 Nick ThomanSwimming 1 1 02 David BoudiaDiving 1 0 12 Mike BryanTennis 1 0 12 Jessica HardySwimming 1 0 12 DeeDee TrotterAthletics 1 0 12 Sarah HammerCycling 0 2 02 Elizabeth BeiselSwimming 0 1 12 Will ClayeAthletics 0 1 12 Athletes who participated in preliminary rounds but not the final.
Competitors The USOC selected a team of 530 athletes, 261 men and 269 women, to compete in all sports except handball; it was the nation's sixth-largest team sent to the Olympics, but the smallest since 1988. Athletics was the largest team by sport, with a total of 125 competitors.
The U.S. team featured 302 first-time athletes, and 228 returning Olympians to participate in these games. Among the returning Olympians, seven of them had competed at their fifth Olympics (high jumper Amy Acuff, archer Khatuna Lorig, shooters Kimberly Rhode and Emil Milev, indoor volleyballer Danielle Scott-Arruda, and eventing riders Phillip Dutton and Karen O'Connor – the oldest of the team at age 54). Twenty-one athletes made their fourth Olympic appearances, including springboard diver Troy Dumais, track hurdler Angelo Taylor, and beach volleyballers and double-defending champions Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor. Fifty-seven athletes made their third Olympic appearances, including rifle shooter Matt Emmons, and twins Bob and Mike Bryan in the men's tennis doubles match. One hundred and forty-three athletes were two-time Olympians, including former defending champions Justin Gatlin (athletics) and Anthony Ervin (swimming), who both made their comeback in London after long years of absence. Two hundred and eight returning athletes had competed in Beijing, including 124 Olympic medalists, and 76 defending champions.
Among the nation's defending champions were swimmers Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin. Phelps won a historic amount of eight gold medals in Beijing to become the most-decorated Olympic athlete at a single event and the first person to win a total of fourteen Olympic gold medals. Coughlin, on the other hand, won a total of 11 Olympic medals in two previous games, including six gold medals from Beijing. Other notable defending champions featured basketball players Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, who led their team by recapturing the nation's gold medal in Beijing, shooters Walton Eller and Vincent Hancock, road cyclist Kristin Armstrong in women's time trial, and swimmers Rebecca Soni and Ryan Lochte.
First-time Olympians also featured gymnasts Jordyn Wieber and Aly Raisman, decathlete Ashton Eaton, and swimmers Missy Franklin and Katie Ledecky, the youngest of the team at age 15. Former basketball player and five-time Olympic champion Teresa Edwards served as the U.S. team's chef de mission. Double Olympic champion Mariel Zagunis became the third fencer and sixth female athlete to serve as the United States flag bearer at the opening ceremony.
The following is the list of number of competitors participating in the Games. Note that reserves for fencing, field hockey, football and handball are not counted: