20 inspiring moments in Olympic history

By a show of strength and adversity, American sprinter Jesse Owens claimed his four gold medals, saluting the U.S. amidst Nazi salutes. The 1936 Olympic Games were held in Berlin, Germany and were overseen by its dictator Adolf Hitler. Owens’ wins were upheld by his professional demeanor and quiet dignity.. (AP Photo)

Although the last vault for Kerri Strug was unnecessary for a win, the U.S. gymnast was unaware of the technicality and went ahead for the final performance, with a sprained ankle. Limping onto the floor and cheered on by the crowd, Strug sprang into action and landed holding up her hurt foot and waving to the judges with a 9.712 score. (AP Photo/Susan Ragan)

At the Atlanta Games of 1996, Michael Johnson shattered the 200-meter record and thrust himself into Olympic history all while wearing his golden shoes. The gold continued with another astonishing win at the 400-meter race. American track and field athletes continue to perform under the shadow of Johnson, his legacy, and his shoes. (AP Photo/Denis Paquin)

Suffering a popped hamstring during the 400-meter semifinal at the 1992 Olympics, British sprinter Derek Redmond wasn’t ready to throw in the towel. He stopped mid-race to tend to his injury and managed to stand up momentarily after. His father, Jim Redmond, ran past security to help out the injured athlete and together father and son crossed the finish line in a very touching moment of family strength and athletic adversity. Although Derek was disqualified because he had help, the Barcelona crowd roared with a standing ovation to congratulate the Redmonds. (Getty Images)

Once in a lifetime, when the planets align and all in the universe is in balance, comes a chance to create a magnificent powerhouse of talent. In 1992 the world witnessed a lineup unlike no other, amassing an all-star team of NBA legends. The names read off like a fantasy roster; Michael Jordan, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen. The "Dream Team" was assembled as a response to the USA's embarrassing loss to the Soviet Union at the Seoul games in 1988. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

It had been about 40 years since the last American, Jesse Owens, had won four gold medals in track and field events. For Carl Lewis, the challenge of winning the 100-meters, 200-meters, long jump and 4x100 relay was in his favor. Lewis would go on to become an Olympic legend after conquering his four-gold goal. (David Cannon/Allsport)

Is Usain Bolt the fastest man in the world or will there be a new champion in London? At the Beijing Games in 2008, Bolt, a Jamaican sprinter, captured the world’s eye when he clocked in 9.69 seconds to earn gold and break the world record. He continued to celebrate on the track with his team, posing in front of the clock marking his record time. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images)

No other Olympian had or has as much style, charisma, or athletic prowess than Florence Griffith-Joyner. And if that name doesn’t ring a bell, maybe her nickname FloJo will. Griffith-Joyner took home three gold medals, as well as a silver, at the Seoul Olympics in 1988. FloJo also broke the world record for the 100-meter race even before stepping onto the Olympic track. (Mike Powell/Allsport)

No other name would be fit for America’s first sweetheart other than Mary Lou Retton. In 1984, Retton was faced with an Olympics without the Soviet Union, which boycotted the Los Angeles venue, yet the U.S. gymnast was up against the dominating Eastern European athletes. Retton earned a perfect 10 in the vault event and was the first American to earn gold in gymnastics.

His face and name may be recognizable as the head of the Kardashian household, but before his reality TV fame, Bruce Jenner struggled to become the first American to win the decathlon. Jenner placed 10th in the event in 1972 and was determined to return for a win four years later. Going into the 1976 Montreal Games, Jenner was looking to capture the gold with a world record in the decathlon under his belt and he did just that. (Tony Duffy /Allsport)

The China moment happened in 2008. Hosting the summer games in Beijing and having been virtually closed off from the Western world, this was the nation’s chance to flaunt its culture and tradition. The Opening Ceremony was so elaborate it cost $100 million alone. Although China showcased a huge acrobatic and rhythmic spectacle, it was not without controversy, including the alleged lip-synching of its national anthem. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

American swimmer Mark Spitz was the original golden boy of the Games after being the first athlete to be decorated with the most wins at a single Olympics. Spitz’s achievement went unrivaled for 36 years until Michael Phelps took home eight gold medals in 2008. (AP Photo)

American diver Greg Louganis suffered a concussion during the preliminary rounds of the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. Although he split his head on the springboard, Louganis did qualify for the final. The diver was stitched up within an hour and returned to the platform to win the gold medal. (Getty Images)

One of the first controversies of the 2012 London Games came about when the South Korean flag was displayed for the North Korean soccer team, causing the competition to be delayed until the mistake was remedied. However, it wasn’t long ago when both nations competed together under a unified Korea. Twelve years ago in Sydney, a delegation for both North and South Korea marched together under one flag. This tradition went on until the 2008 Olympics. (Getty Images)

American wrestler Rulon Gardner made his Olympic debut at the 2000 Games in Sydney. The Yankee brute was up against Aleksandr Karelin of Russia, but this was no ordinary match. Until then, Karelin went undefeated for 13 years of international competition and his large build was meant to intimidate his opponents. All that changed when Gardner upset the Russian wrestler to bring the gold back to the U.S. (Getty Images)