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A look back on greatness
at the Summer Games
Athens 1896 - The modern Olympics commence!
Inspired by the Ancient Olympic Games and previous attempts at reviving them, French historian Pierre de Coubertin organized the International Olympic Committee in 1894.
Within the recently-refurbished Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, male athletes from thirteen European countries and the United States competed across 9 sports. The US won the most gold, and Greece won the most medals period.
Within the recently-refurbished Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, male athletes from thirteen European countries and the United States competed across 9 sports. The US won the most gold, and Greece won the most medals period.
Berlin 1936 - Jesse Owens wins four gold medals
The burgeoning Nazi Party in host nation Germany made participation in the 1936 Games controversial.
American track and field athlete Jesse Owens won the 100 m dash, the long jump, the 200 m sprint, and the 4 x 100 m sprint relay. This four gold record remained unmatched until the 1984 Games.
As a black man, Owens' domination of events besmirched Hitler's racist agenda.
American track and field athlete Jesse Owens won the 100 m dash, the long jump, the 200 m sprint, and the 4 x 100 m sprint relay. This four gold record remained unmatched until the 1984 Games.
As a black man, Owens' domination of events besmirched Hitler's racist agenda.
Melbourne 1956 - Betty Cuthbert sets records and wins three gold
Betty Cuthbert was an 18-year-old from Sydney when she won the 100 m in Olympic record time, as well as the 200 m and the 4 x 100 m final, setting a World Record in both.
Her three gold medals earned her the title of Australia's "Golden Girl".
Her three gold medals earned her the title of Australia's "Golden Girl".
Rome 1960 - Muhammad Ali wins gold
At the tail end of his amateur boxing career, Muhammad Ali, then going by his birth name Cassius Clay, entered the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Games. He won the gold medal, which he later lost under disputed circumstances. At the 1996 Games, where Ali served as torch bearer, he was granted a replacement medal.
Rome 1960 - Abebe Bikila wins gold, barefoot!
Upon entering Rome for the men's marathon, Abebe Bikila purchased new running shoes. Finding them a poor fit that gave him blisters, he opted to run barefoot instead.
Abebe crossed the finish line first in a world record time of 2:15:16.2, twenty-five seconds ahead of the 2nd place runner. His victory made him the first Ethiopian Olympic gold medalist.
Abebe crossed the finish line first in a world record time of 2:15:16.2, twenty-five seconds ahead of the 2nd place runner. His victory made him the first Ethiopian Olympic gold medalist.
Tokyo 1964 - Larisa Latynina accrues an Olympic medal record
At the 1964 Games, Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina won five medals: two gold, one silver and two bronze. Having won thirteen medals in the fourteen previous Olympic events she had competed in, these five granted her the then-record for the most Olympic medals won. This record would go unbroken until 2012.
Mexico 1968 - Dick Fosbury revolutionizes the high jump
In high school track, Dick Fosbury struggled with the standard down-facing high-jump method, and instead began gradually perfecting a novel back-first approach.
When he debuted his "Fosbury flop" on the world stage at the 1968 Games, he took the gold medal and set a new Olympic record. Fosbury's technique was quickly embraced by the community, with 28 of the 40 subsequent 1972 Games competitors utilizing it.
When he debuted his "Fosbury flop" on the world stage at the 1968 Games, he took the gold medal and set a new Olympic record. Fosbury's technique was quickly embraced by the community, with 28 of the 40 subsequent 1972 Games competitors utilizing it.
Mexico 1968 - Bob Beamon sets a long jump world record
At the 1968 Games, Bob Beamon set a record for the long jump with a jump of 8.90 m, bettering the existing record by 55 cm. After his teammates translated the metric measurements to him, Beamon collapsed in shock at his spectacular achievement. The distance was eventually beaten 23 years later in 1991, but Beamon's remains the Olympic record.
Munich 1972 - Mark Spitz becomes the then-most successful Olympic athlete
At the advent of his performance in the 1968 Games, already-decorated swimmer Mark Spitz brashly envisioned winning six gold medals. He only won two that year, but returned in 1972 with the same ambition.
Spitz ended up winning seven gold medals (the most in a single Olympics until 2008), each in world-record time.
Spitz ended up winning seven gold medals (the most in a single Olympics until 2008), each in world-record time.
Munich 1972 - Olga Korbut innovates on the uneven bars
17-year-old Olga Korbut won three gold medals for the balance beam, floor exercise, and team competitions.
On the uneven bars, she completed a novel backwards release move, dubbed the "Korbut Flip" and later banned under Olympic code. Despite audience protests, the judges refused to budge on their score of 9.8, granting Korbut a silver medal.
Korbut’s performances are credited with giving gymnastics newfound popularity, and an emphasis on acrobatics over ballet and elegance.
On the uneven bars, she completed a novel backwards release move, dubbed the "Korbut Flip" and later banned under Olympic code. Despite audience protests, the judges refused to budge on their score of 9.8, granting Korbut a silver medal.
Korbut’s performances are credited with giving gymnastics newfound popularity, and an emphasis on acrobatics over ballet and elegance.
Montreal 1976 - Nadia Comăneci scores the Olympics' first perfect 10
Upon completing her routine on the uneven bars, 14-year-old Nadia Comăneci became the first person to be awarded a perfect 10 at the Olympics (later earning six additional “10s”). Her score was so unprecedented that the accompanying scoreboard had not even been designed with enough characters, forcing it to render "1.00".
Additionally, as Olympic gymnastics subsequently raised its age-eligibility, Comăneci is expected to remain the indefinite youngest Olympic gymnastics all-around champion.
Additionally, as Olympic gymnastics subsequently raised its age-eligibility, Comăneci is expected to remain the indefinite youngest Olympic gymnastics all-around champion.
Seoul 1988 - Florence Griffith Joyner becomes the fastest woman ever recorded
At the 1988 Games, sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner won the 100 m final in world record time. In the 200 m semifinal, she won with another world record, which she then broke herself during the subsequent final.
Griffith Joyner left the Games with three gold medals and one silver, on top of 100- and 200-m world records that remain to this day.
Griffith Joyner left the Games with three gold medals and one silver, on top of 100- and 200-m world records that remain to this day.
Barcelona 1992 - The NBA-studded "Dream Team" wins gold
At the advent of the 1992 Games, the International Basketball Federation voted to dissolve its rule against professional basketball players participating in Olympic events. In response, the U.S. men's team filled its twelve positions with NBA players, most of whom were at the peaks of their careers. Members included Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Charles Barkley; Magic Johnson came out of his recent retirement to join.
Team USA overwhelmed the competition, defeating them by an average of 44 points during the tournament, and ultimately won the gold medal.
Team USA overwhelmed the competition, defeating them by an average of 44 points during the tournament, and ultimately won the gold medal.
Atlanta 1996 - Kerri Strug lands her final vault with an injured ankle, securing Team USA the gold medal
Atlanta 1996 - Michael Johnson becomes the only male athlete to win both 200- and 400-m events at the same Olympics, with record times in both
Sydney 2000 - Eric Moussambani, inexperienced with a 50 m pool, performs the slowest in Olympic swimming history, yet wins due to competitors' false starts
Sydney 2000 - Cathy Freeman wins the women's 400 meters, becoming an Aboriginal and Australian icon
Sydney 2000 - Rulon Gardner wins gold against Aleksandr Karelin, who hadn't lost a match for 13 years
Beijing 2008 - Michael Phelps wins eight gold medals, the most won in a single Olympic Games
Beijing 2008 - Matthew Mitcham achieves the then-highest single-dive score in history, winning gold in a surprise feat
Beijing 2008 - Usain Bolt becomes the fastest sprinter in history
London 2012 - Great Britain achieves their most successful Olympics since 1908, securing 65 medals
"Super Saturday"
Rio 2016 - Katie Ledecky wins five Olympic golds and sets two world records
Rio 2016 - Neymar scores the last penalty for Brazil in a match against Germany, breaking their game-long tie
Rio 2016 - Winning four gold medals in her Olympics debut, Simone Biles sets an American record for most gold won by a women's gymnast at a single Games
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