<P> Athletes from 87 countries won medals , leaving 115 countries without a medal , and 54 of them won at least one gold medal . Both of these categories set new records until surpassed in 2016 . Athletes from China won the most gold medals , with 48 gold medals . Athletes from the United States won the most total medals , with 112 . Afghanistan , Mauritius , Sudan , Tajikistan and Togo won their first Olympic medals . Athletes from Mongolia ( which previously held the record for most medals without a gold ) and Panama won their first gold medals . Serbian swimmer Milorad Čavić won the first medal for the country as an independent NOC . Serbian athletes have previously won medals as nationals of Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro . Samoa won its first Olympic medal due to medals reallocation after the IOC retested doping samples in 2016 . </P>
<P> Athletes from 87 countries won medals , leaving 115 countries without a medal , and 54 of them won at least one gold medal . Both of these categories set new records until surpassed in 2016 . Athletes from China won the most gold medals , with 48 gold medals . Athletes from the United States won the most total medals , with 112 . Afghanistan , Mauritius , Sudan , Tajikistan and Togo won their first Olympic medals . Athletes from Mongolia ( which previously held the record for most medals without a gold ) and Panama won their first gold medals . Serbian swimmer Milorad Čavić won the first medal for the country as an independent NOC . Serbian athletes have previously won medals as nationals of Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro . Samoa won its first Olympic medal due to medals reallocation after the IOC retested doping samples in 2016 . </P>
who won the most medals in 2008 olympics
who won the most medals in 2008 olympics
the United States
the United States