Before you watch the U.S. team rake in medal after medal in Pyeongchang this weekend—and for the next three weeks—revisit some of the most defining sports accomplishments in Olympic history.
1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin
Jesse Owens won four gold medals for track in the '36 Olympics, proving himself a phenomenal, non-Aryan athlete as Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler looked on.
1960 Summer Olympics in Rome
Abebe Bikila set an Olympic marathon record with a time of 2:15:16, becoming the first African athlete to win a gold medal. And he did it barefoot—just like he trained in his home country of Ethiopia.
Muhammad Ali won a gold medal boxing in the '60 Olympics. he then allegedly threw it in the Ohio River after being denied service at a "whites only" restaurant.
1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City
To protest racism in the States, sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos put on scarves and beads—to represent lynching—and took off their shoes—a symbol of poverty—before taking the podium. During the national anthem, they bowed their heads and raised their fists in the Black Power salute. Their protest is one of the most iconic sports moments of all time.
American long jumper Bob Beamon barely qualified for the Olympics. Then, he went to set an Olympic long jump record, leaping so far the judges' devices couldn't measure the 29+ feet. His record holds to this day.
1972 Summer Olympics in Munich
With 3 seconds left on the clock and the Soviets leading by one point, the U.S. scraped up two foul shots to pull ahead 50-48. The buzzer sounded, and the U.S. team celebrated wildly, only to be told the Soviets had called a time-out. Three seconds were added back on, and the Soviets scored, winning the game.
In protest, the U.S. team refused to accept silver, boycotting the medal ceremony instead of standing beneath the Soviets on the podium.
1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal
At just 14 years old, Nadia Comaneci of Romania became the first Olympian to nail a perfect 10 gymnastics score, on the uneven bars. Then, she did it six more times to get three gold medals.
1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid
Also known as the "Miracle on Ice," a team of nobodies with a coach from Minnesota was able to route the seemingly unstoppable Soviet hockey team, beating them 4-3 and advancing to the final round, where they beat Finland to take gold.
1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary
The Jamaican four-man bobsled team didn't win any medals in its first Olympic appearance, but that didn't stop the world from loving them.
1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul
In preliminary competition, U.S. diver Greg Louganis smacked his head on the diving board, suffering a concussion and a 2-inch scalp wound. But a day later, he returned to competition, stitches and all, to snag gold.
U.S. sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner, or "Flo-Jo," set world records for the 100m and 200m sprints that have yet to be beaten; she's still the fastest woman of all time.
1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona
The U.S. took to the basketball court at the Barcelona Olympics with a "Dream Team," better known as Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson, Scottie Pippen, Larry Bird, Karl Malone, and Patrick Ewing.
British sprinter Derek Redmond's story is a heartbreaker: He tore his Achilles tendon in the '88 Olympics and returned in '92 determined to medal, but his hamstring popped. His father Jim dashed past security to help him cross the finish line anyway, medal or no.
1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer
Right before the '94 Olympics, Tanya Harding's ex-husband planned an attack on her competitor, Nancy Kerrigan. Harding was permitted to compete, but had to re-skate her program after her laces broke. She only came in eighth, while Kerrigan took home silver.
1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta
In '96, Ali returned to the Olympics, where he was given a new medal to replace his lost gold and lit the Opening Ceremony torch.
U.S. gymnast Kerri Strug was the only thing that stood between the Soviets and taking home the gold in '96, so she had to nail her vault. But she tore ligaments in her ankle in her first attempt.
Despite the pain, Strug took her second attempt and crushed it, scoring a 9.712 and winning gold for the U.S. team, known as the "Magnificent Seven."
2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney
For the first time in Olympic history, South and North Korean delegates united under one flag for the opening ceremony.
After winning his fourth gold medal in '96, British rower Steve Redgrave said, "Anybody who sees me in a boat has my permission to shoot me.” Well, he got back in a boat, winning his fifth gold in 2000 in a row by a matter of feet against Italy.
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