The 16 Most Iconic Moments in Olympic History

Some of these lasted ten seconds; one was a man walking slowly with a torch. Nine decades, and the argument never settles.

1

Simone Biles' Paris All-Around

Biles reclaimed the Olympic all-around title in 2024, three years after withdrawing in Tokyo.

2

Jesse Owens' Four Golds

Owens won four track golds at the 1936 Berlin Games in front of Adolf Hitler.

3

Nadia Comaneci's Perfect 10

The first perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics, scored on uneven bars in Montreal in 1976.

4

The 1968 Black Power Salute

Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised gloved fists on the 200m podium in Mexico City.

5

Muhammad Ali Lights the Cauldron

A visibly shaking Ali lit the flame at the 1996 Atlanta opening ceremony.

6

The Miracle on Ice

American college players beat the Soviet ice hockey team at Lake Placid in 1980.

7

Bob Beamon's Long Jump

Beamon jumped 8.90m in Mexico City in 1968, beating the world record by 55 centimetres.

8

Derek Redmond and His Father

Redmond tore a hamstring in the 1992 400m semi-final and finished the lap with his dad.

9

Michael Phelps' Eight Golds

Phelps won eight swimming golds at a single Games in Beijing in 2008.

10

Kerri Strug's One-Foot Vault

Strug landed a vault on an injured ankle to seal team gold in Atlanta in 1996.

11

Abebe Bikila Runs Barefoot

Bikila won the 1960 Rome marathon without shoes, the first gold for a Black African athlete.

12

The Dream Team

The 1992 United States basketball team turned the Barcelona tournament into an exhibition.

13

Cathy Freeman's 400m

Freeman won the 400m in Sydney in 2000 after lighting the cauldron at the same Games.

14

Usain Bolt's Beijing 100m

Bolt broke the world record in 2008 while slowing down before the line.

15

Greg Louganis Hits the Board

Louganis struck his head on the springboard in Seoul in 1988 and still won both diving golds.

16

Eddie the Eagle Ski Jumps

Britain's Eddie Edwards finished last in both ski jump events in Calgary and became a folk hero.