It's never dull at the Olympics.
After all, it's an event built on athleticism so great, it takes your breath away practically every time. Still, as evidenced by more than 100 years of modern Olympic history, there are moments that still manage to stand out from the rest—in more ways than one. Whether they set the bar higher than we even thought possible, make a statement louder than the sport itself, spark controversy or exemplify humanity in an unexpected way, the Olympic Games have been the stage for some truly remarkable events.
Now, with the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics finally kicking off Friday, February 4, it's only a matter of time before more athletes get the chance to not only take home the gold, but perhaps leave their infinite mark on sports history.
As we keep our eyes peeled, rest assured they'll be in incredible company. We've rounded up many of the moments in Olympics history that remain unforgettable to this day. Some will amaze you, shock you, might make you cry and, perhaps, push you to take that next step toward your own dreams.
Without further ado:
One of the most legendary athletes of all time, Alabama native Jesse Owens' won four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, breaking world records while simultaneously defying the Nazi agenda promoted by Adolf Hitler.
The next time you're not in the mood to exercise, think of Abebe Bikila. The Ethiopian runner became the first African to win a gold medal when he won the men's marathon at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. And, he did barefoot.
Four years later, he won again, marking the first time anyone had won the marathon twice. He wore shoes the second time around—and underwent an appendectomy just over a month before running the race. And yet, he still set a world record.
While winning the only gold medal for the United States at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France, Peggy Fleming skated into the hearts of Americans watching from home (for the first time live and in color, mind you) and has since been credited with changing figure skating.
With their black-gloved fists in the air, black socks on their feet and their heads bowed, sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos—who won the gold and bronze medals respectively—left their mark on history as they used the podium to protest racism.
At just 14 years old, Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci became the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect 10.
Deemed the "Miracle on Ice," the United States men's hockey team stunned the world when they defeated the favored Soviet Union team at the 1980 Winter Games, held in Lake Placid, New York amid the Cold War.
Famously known as Flo-Jo, the late California native and three-time gold medalist remains the fastest woman of all time after setting the existing Olympic records for the 100 and 200 meter-dashes in 1988. More than three decades later, they still stand.
Despite hitting his head on the diving board during the preliminary rounds, Greg Louganis went on to win two gold medals at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, bringing his career total to four.
It was a striking moment between a father and son forever memorialized in Olympics history. British sprinter Derek Redmond unforgettably suffered a torn hamstring mid-race at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, but tearfully made it to the finish line—with an arm around his dad.
The United States basketball team for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona was a lineup of some of the sport's greatest, including Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Magic Johnson and Karl Malone. They won gold and were later inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. They weren't nicknamed the "Dream Team" for nothing!
While American figure skater Nancy Kerrigan ended up bringing home the silver after competing at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, it was the attack she suffered after a practice a month earlier that will live forever in infamy.
At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, then-18-year-old gymnast Kerri Strug secured gold for the women's team after landing her second vault with an injury. Strug was so hurt, she crawled away after landing and was eventually carried back in by coach Béla Károlyi to receive her medal.
At the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, Eric Moussambani, a then-22-year-old swimmer from Equatorial Guinea, competed in the first qualifying heat of the men's 100-meter freestyle. If you're wondering why this is a significant moment history, we should mention that he had never even seen a 50-meter pool before that day.
There was also the fact that he did not know he would be competing in the 100 meter until arriving in Australia and had instead been mistakenly told he would be swimming half that.
Despite not having a coach and having trained with limited access to a swimming pool, Moussambani's story took another turn when his fellow competitors were disqualified for making false starts. Alone, he ultimately completed the race.
German kayaker and eight-time Olympic gold medalist Birgit Fischer's story is a reminder that you really shouldn't put a time limit on winning a gold medal.
After all, there are more than two decades between her first—which she won as the youngest in the field—and her most recent at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens as the oldest competitor. She was 42 years old at the time.
The most decorated Olympian of all time, swimmer Michael Phelps kicked off his winning spree at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens when he took home six gold medals and eight total.
At his first Olympics in 2008 in Beijing, the Jamaican sprinter left his mark on the sport when he set world and Olympic records as he won the 100 and 200-meter dashes. Before retiring, Bolt won eight gold medals and continues to hold the Olympic records (he even set new ones in 2012) for the 100 meter, 200 meter and 4x100 meters relay.
Of his three Olympic gold wins, it's possible his 2018 victory is the sweetest. After all, Shaun White nabbed the gold with the final run of the men's halfpipe competition at the Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, a victorious comeback after placing fourth four years earlier in Sochi. In that moment, White made history as the first snowboarder ever to win three gold medals.
Midway through the Tokyo Games, Simone Biles withdrew from the gymnastics team final to focus on her mental health. Ultimately, the GOAT chose to sit out all subsequent competitions until returning for the balance beam final, in which she took home bronze.
Her candor and decision to put her mental needs first sparked an important conversation not only among athletes but throughout the world. "I know that I helped a lot of people and athletes speak out about mental health and saying no," she said. "Because I knew I couldn't go out there and compete. I knew I was going to get hurt."