The men's event was first held in 1896 in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and is the oldest discipline at the World Championships.[1] Until 1902 men and women were allowed to compete in the same event (open singles). Since 1903, only men can attend the event.[2]
Ulrich Salchow from Sweden has won the most gold medals in the men's singles and also the most total medals (thirteen). He won ten gold medals in a row; however, this feat was not achieved at back-to-back events, as he didn't compete at the 1906 World Championships in Munich, Germany. The record for most back-to-back titles is held by Austrian Karl Schäfer with seven gold medals. The most silver medals were won by James Grogan from the United States and Brian Orser from Canada (with four each), while Andor Szende from Hungary, Alexandre Fadeev from the Soviet Union, and Jan Hoffmann from East Germany share the record for the most bronze medals (with three each).[1]
Hayes Alan Jenkins (left) and his brother David (right) won together seven gold medals and four bronze medals for the United States in men's singles.
Countries that no longer participate are indicated in italics.
At the 1900 and 1901 World Championships, only two competitors participated in the men's singles event, so no bronze medals were awarded.[1]
In 1902, female skater Madge Syers from Great Britain won a silver medal in the open singles event, which reflects on the men's singles medal table.[2]
Number of World Championship medals in men's singles by nation[3][4]
Dick Button won the most gold medals in men's singles at the World Championships in the post-war era. He won all five gold medals at back-to-back events.
If the number of gold medals is identical, the silver and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order). If all numbers are the same, the skaters receive the same placement and are sorted in alphabetical order.
The table only shows the period from the first to the last won medal, not all participation at the World Championships.
Top 10 ranking of men's singles skaters by the most gold medals won at the World Championships[3][4]
Yuzuru Hanyu is the only figure skater to win more than six medals at the World Championships in the 21st century (seven total).
If the total number of medals is identical, the gold, silver and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order). If all numbers are the same, the skaters receive the same placement and are sorted in alphabetical order.
The table only shows the period from the first to the last won medal, not all participation at the World Championships.
Top 10 ranking of men's singles skaters by the most medals won at the World Championships[3][4]
After the exclusion of female skaters from the open singles event at the World Championships in 1902, the International Skating Union established a separate second-class competition for women called the ISU Championships, which was first held 1906 in Davos, Switzerland.[2] The first combined World Championships for men, women, and pairs took place in 1930 in New York City.[5]
Sonja Henie from Norway holds the record in women's singles for total medals won (with eleven) and the most gold medals won (with ten), which is also the longest winning streak at back-to-back events in this discipline. Six skaters share the record for the most silver medals won (with three): Megan Taylor from Great Britain, Regine Heitzer from Austria, Gabriele Seyfert from East Germany, Surya Bonaly from France, Irina Slutskaya from Russia, and Michelle Kwan from the United States. Vivi-Anne Hultén from Sweden and Carolina Kostner from Italy hold the record for the most bronze medals won (with three each).[3]
Sonja Henie is the most decorated skater at the World Championships in women's singles. She won ten gold medals and one silver medal for Norway.
Countries that no longer participate are indicated in italics.
At the 1908 and 1910 World Championships, only two competitors participated in the women's singles event, so no bronze medals were awarded.[6]
At the 1909 World Championships, Lily Kronberger from Hungary was the only competitor and winner of the gold medal. No silver or bronze medals were awarded.[6]
Number of World Championship medals in women's singles by nation[3][7]
Carol Heiss was the first female single skater in the post-war era to win five gold medals at the World Championships.
If the number of gold medals is identical, the silver and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order). If all numbers are the same, the skaters receive the same placement and are sorted in alphabetical order.
The table only shows the period from the first to the last won medal, not all participation at the World Championships.
Top 10 ranking of women's singles skaters by the most gold medals won at the World Championships[3][7]
With five gold medals and nine medals total, Michelle Kwan is the most successful skater in women's singles at the World Championships in the post-war era.
If the total number of medals is identical, the gold, silver and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order). If all numbers are the same, the skaters receive the same placement and are sorted in alphabetical order.
The table only shows the period from the first to the last won medal, not all participation at the World Championships.
Top 10 ranking of women's singles skaters by the most medals won at the World Championships[3][7]
Irina Rodnina and Alexander Zaitsev from the Soviet Union hold the record for the most gold medals won in pair skating and the longest winning streak at back-to-back events (with six). Rodnina won another four gold medals with her previous partner Alexei Ulanov and was undefeated at ten World Championships in a row.[8] The record for total medals won is shared by two pairs (with eight each): Aljona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy from Germany; and Ludmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov from the Soviet Union. Savchenko won another three medals with Bruno Massot and holds the record for the most total medals won by a skater in pairs (with eleven). Ilse and Erik Pausin won the most silver medals (with five), representing Austria and Germany. Lyudmila Smirnova from the Soviet Union won five silver medals as well, but with two different partners. Three pairs teams share the record for the most bronze medals (with three each): Marianna and László Nagy from Hungary, Cynthia and Ronald Kauffman from the United States, and Pang Qing and Tong Jian from China. Todd Sand from the United States and Eric Radford from Canada also won three bronze medals, but each of them with different partners.[3]
Countries that no longer participate are indicated in italics.
At the 1910 and 1911 World Championships, Ludowika Eilers and Walter Jakobsson competed as a pair representing two different countries (Eilers for Germany and Jakobsson for Finland).[8] Their results count individually for each country on the total medal table.
At the 1911 World Championships, Eilers and Jakobsson were the only competitors in the pairs event, so no silver or bronze medals were awarded.[8]
Number of World Championship medals in pair skating by nation[3][9]
With five gold medals and eight medals total, Aljona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy are the most successful pairs couple at the World Championships in the 21st century.
Only pair results are included in the list. Individual results in case of partner changes are marked with a note or listed separately below the table.
If the number of gold medals is identical, the silver and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order). If all numbers are the same, the pairs receive the same placement and are sorted in alphabetical order by the female partner's last name.
The table only shows the period from the first to the last won medal, not all participation at the World Championships.
If a skater or pair has competed for multiple countries, countries are listed in chronological order (from first to last).
Top 10 ranking of pairs skaters by the most gold medals won at the World Championships[3][9]
^Aljona Savchenko won another gold medal, silver medal, and bronze medal with Bruno Massot (2016–2018), earning six gold medals and eleven overall medals in total.
^At the 1910 and 1911 World Championships, Ludowika Eilers and Walter Jakobsson competed as a pair representing two different countries (Eilers for Germany and Jakobsson for Finland). In 1911, they married and together completed for Finland until 1928.
Only pair results are included in the list. Individual results in case of partner changes are marked with a note or listed separately below the table.
If the total number of medals is identical, the gold, silver and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order). If all numbers are the same, the pairs receive the same placement and are sorted in alphabetical order by female partner's last name.
The table only shows the period from the first to the last won medal, not all participation at the World Championships.
If a skater or team has competed for multiple countries, countries are listed in chronological order (from first to last).
Top 10 ranking of pairs skaters by the most medals won at the World Championships[3][9]
^Aljona Savchenko won another gold medal, silver medal, and bronze medal with Bruno Massot (2016–2018), earning six gold medals and eleven overall medals in total.
^At the 1910 and 1911 World Championships, Ludowika Eilers and Walter Jakobsson competed as a pair representing two different countries (Eilers for Germany and Jakobsson for Finland). In 1911, they married and together completed for Finland until 1928.
^Irina Rodnina won another four golds with Alexei Ulanov (1969–1972), earning a total of ten medals, all of which were gold.
Four skaters won a total of six medals in the pairs event, but with different partners:[8]
Alexei Ulanov from the Soviet Union won four gold medals while partnered with Irina Rodnina (1969–1972) and two silver medals while partnered with Lyudmila Smirnova (1973–1974).
Marika Kilius from West Germany won two gold medals, two silver medals, and two bronze medals: one silver medal and one bronze medal while partnered with Franz Ningel (1956–1957); and two gold medals, one silver medal, and one bronze medal while partnered with Hans-Jürgen Bäumler (1959–1964).
Ludwig Wrede from Austria won two gold medals, two silver medals, and two bronze medals: two gold medals and one bronze medal while partnered with Herma Szabo (1925–1927) and two silver medals and a bronze medal while partnered with Melitta Brunner (1928–1930).
Lloyd Eisler from Canada won one gold medal, three silver medals, and two bronze medals: one bronze medal while partnered with Katherina Matousek (1985) and one gold medal, three silver medals, and one bronze medal while partnered with Isabelle Brasseur (1990–1994).
Only teams' results are included in the list. Individual results in the case of partner changes are listed separately below the table.
If the number of gold medals is identical, the silver and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order). If all numbers are the same, the teams receive the same placement and are sorted in alphabetical order by the female partner's last name.
The table only shows the period from the first to the last won medal, not all participation at the World Championships.
If a skater or team has competed for multiple countries, countries are listed in chronological order (from first to last).
Top 10 ranking of ice dance teams by the most gold medals won at the World Championships[3][11]
One skater won four gold medals and one silver medal in the ice dance event, but with two different partners:[10]
Courtney Jones from Great Britain won two gold and one silver medal while partnered with June Markham (1956–1958) and another two gold medals while partnered with Doreen Denny (1959–1960).
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are the only ice dance team of the 21st century to win seven medals at the World Championships.
Only teams' results are included in the list. Individual results in the case of partner changes are listed separately below the table.
If the total number of medals is identical, the gold, silver and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order). If all numbers are the same, the team receive the same placement and are sorted in alphabetical order by the female partner's last name.
The table only shows the period from the first to the last won medal, not all participation at the World Championships.
If a skater or couple has competed for multiple countries, countries are listed in chronological order (from first to last).
Top 10 ranking of ice dance teams by the most medals won at the World Championships[3][11]
Three more skaters won a total of five medals in the ice dance event, but with different partners:[10]
Courtney Jones from Great Britain won four gold medals and one silver medal: two gold medals and one silver medal while partnered with June Markham (1956–1958) and another two gold medals while partnered with Doreen Denny (1959–1960).
Anjelika Krylova from Russia won two gold medals, two silver medals, and one bronze medal: one bronze medal while partnered with Vladimir Fedorov (1993) and two gold medals and two silver medals while partnered with Oleg Ovsyannikov (1996–1999).
William McLachlan from Canada won three silver medals and two bronze medals: two silver medals and one bronze medal while partnered with Geraldine Fenton (1957–1959) and one silver medal and one bronze medal while partnered with Virginia Thompson (1960–1962).
Hayes Alan Jenkins (photo), his brother David and spouse Carol Heiss contributed twelve gold medals, one silver medal, and four bronze medals to the total medal count of the United States at the World Championships.
Countries that no longer participate are indicated in italics.
Total number of World Championship medals by nation[3][4][7][9][11]
Sonja Henie and Karl Schäfer have together won a total of seventeen gold medals at the World Championships.
If the number of gold medals is identical, the silver and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order). If all numbers are the same, the skaters receive the same placement and are sorted in alphabetical order.
The table only shows the period from the first to the last won medal, not all participation at the World Championships.
Top 10 ranking of skaters by the most gold medals won at the World Championships[3][4][7][9][11]
With a total of eleven medals, Aljona Savchenko is the most decorated skater at the World Championships in the post-war era.
If the total number of medals is identical, the gold, silver and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order). If all numbers are the same, the skaters receive the same placement and are sorted in alphabetical order.
The table only shows the period from the first to the last won medal, not all participation at the World Championships.
Top 10 ranking of skaters by the most medals won at the World Championships[3][4][7][9][11]
United States
Austria
Sweden
Canada
Russia
Japan
Soviet Union
France
Czechoslovakia
Switzerland
Germany
Great Britain
East Germany
Spain
CIS
Hungary
Kazakhstan
South Korea
China
Finland
Italy
Norway
Poland
Ukraine
United States
Netherlands
Belgium
Hungary
United States
Hungary
Germany
Canada
Germany / 
Bulgaria
Israel
Lithuania
CIS
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