I'm having this debate with someone offline.

Who do you consider to be the winner?

1) Most gold medals
2) Most total medals

I know many will say option 3, that all of them are winners, but unfortunately sentimentality doesn't always finalize a debate!

I'm of the belief and have always, since I was a kid, looked at the total medals as the winner. Every chart that shows medal totals that I have ever saw, always shows a list of the countries based on their total medals. MANY times I have seen someone in 2nd place but with more gold medals.

Opinions?