How efficient was Canada's performance at Rio 2016?

With 22 medals in Rio, Canada tied the count from Atlanta 1996, the country's best for a non-boycotted Games.  

So was it really a great performance?

One way of looking at it is what the Canadian Olympic Committee calls a "conversion rate". This is the percentage of athletes who turn a top-5 at their most recent world championships into an Olympic medal. The conversion rate in Rio was 59 per cent, four years ago in London it was 60 per cent. 

Another way to look at the results is to evaluate medal winning efficiency, a means of looking at medals won as a percentage of events entered.

Canada's women won a staggering majority of the medals with 16, and were a better team than the 1996 version when it comes to their medal winning efficiency.  

How does medal winning efficiency work?

You can only hit the shots you take, right?

While there were 186 Canadian women in Rio they only entered in 149 medal events. (We threw out any mixed events). That means the medal winning efficiency for Canadian women was 16 medals divided by 149 events; or 11 per cent at Rio 2016.

Canada — Rio 2016

Medals won (10th): 22 (Women 16, Men 5, Mixed 1)

Medal winning efficiencies:

• Women — 11%
• Men — 5%

Overall, Canada won a medal in nine per cent of events entered.

Canada's Kathleen Heddle, left, and Marnie McBean receive their gold medals for the women's double sculls at Atlanta 1996. (Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images)

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Canada — Atlanta 1996

Medals won (11th): 22 (Women 11, Men 11)

Medal winning efficiencies:

• Women — 10%
• Men — 8%

Just like Rio, Canada won a medal in nine per cent of events entered in Atlanta, but notice the substantially better number for the 1996 men.

How did other countries do?

Team Canada was 10th-place in Rio in total medals, which is how the Canadian Olympic Committee likes to measure it. 

Here's a look at the medal winning efficiency of the Big 3 (U.S.A., China, Great Britain) plus the Republic of Korea which finished one spot behind Canada.

United States

Medals won (1st): 121 (Women 61, Men 56, Mixed 4)

Medal winning efficiencies:

• Women — 30%
• Men — 26%

Overall, the United States won a medal in 28 per cent of events entered.

China

Medals won (2nd): 70 (Women 41, Men 28, Mixed 1)

Medal winning efficiencies:

• Women — 25%
• Men — 19%

China won a medal in 22 per cent of events entered.

Track cyclist Jason Kenny won three gold medals for Great Britain at Rio 2016, the country was second in terms of gold medals won, behind the United States. (Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

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Great Britain

Medals won (3rd): 67 (Women 24, Men 40, Mixed 3)

Medal winning efficiencies:

• Women — 19%
• Men — 26%

Great Britain won a medal in 23 per cent of events entered, slightly more efficient than China despite winning fewer medals. Notice that British men matched the United States.

Republic of Korea

Medals won (11th): 21 (Women 9, Men 12)

Medal winning efficiencies:

• Women — 13%
• Men — 11%

South Korea won a medal in 12 per cent of events entered, which means their team made the podium at a higher rate than Canada, despite finishing with one fewer medal. 

Success story

Despite other countries being more medal efficient regardless of size, it is positive Team Canada was able to compare itself to the most-decorated Olympic team outside of a boycotted Games.  

With women dominating the headlines, the swim team making a surprise introduction, Andre De Grasse challenging the world, and Evan Dunfee defining Olympism, Rio 2016 had many positive stories for Team Canada.

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How efficient was Canada's performance at Rio 2016?