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The Greatest Summer Olympic Moments of All Time: Mary Lou Retton, Muhammad Ali and More

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Jul 25, 2024 5:08 pm·

By SCOTT BARWICK

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As the 2024 Paris Olympics begin, Closer recalls some of the sporting event’s golden achievements.

1 of 10

The Greatest Summer Olympic Moments of All Time

Mary Lou Retton

At the L.A. Games in 1984, Mary Lou became the first American woman to win the all-around gold medal in Olympic gymnastics. Her historic win — thanks to a perfect 10 on the vault — also landed her photo on a Wheaties box.

2 of 10

Muhammad Ali

Before being “The Greatest,” a then Cassius Clay went to Rome in 1960 and won the light heavyweight gold medal. But when the boxer returned home and still faced the weight of prejudice, he reportedly threw it in the Ohio River thinking, “It ain’t worth nothing.”

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Bruce Jenner

Now known as Caitlyn, this decathlete won fame as a gold medalist at the ’76 Games in Montreal, yet knew the biggest challenge was ahead. “I was an Olympic champion, the greatest athlete in the world,” Bruce said. “But I was still the same old person with all the same old issues.”

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Dream Team

In ’92, Michael Jordan led NBA legends to Barcelona and to gold — causing a sensation that grew the sport to what it is today. “It was,” said coach Chuck Daly, “like Elvis and the Beatles put together.”

5 of 10

Florence Griffith Joyner

“I tried as hard as I [could], that’s very precious to me,” said Flo-Jo of taking gold three times at the Seoul 1988 Games — including in the 200-meter race, setting a world record that still stands today. She still also holds the record for the 100-meter. Sadly, Florence passed away in ’98 at just 38.

6 of 10

Jesse Owens

At the 1936 Games in Berlin, Jesse struck a blow against the Nazi theory of a master race as the first American to win four gold medals in track and field in a single Olympics. And yet he’d say, “I wasn’t running against Hitler. I was running against the world.”

7 of 10

Michael Phelps

Winning eight gold medals at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, Michael broke fellow swimmer Mark Spitz’s previous record of seven set in ’72. “The bottom line is, records are made to be broken,” shared Mark, although Michael’s record 28 total medals over four Olympics will be hard to top.

8 of 10

Greg Louganis

In 1988, a head injury during preliminaries wasn’t the greatest obstacle for America’s most decorated diver on his way to four golds in Seoul. “Had officials known my HIV status, [they] wouldn’t have allowed me in.”

9 of 10

Carl Lewis

“I wanted to do something I never thought I could do,” reflected Carl of matching Jesse’s four gold medals at the ’84 L.A. Olympics. The “Son of the Wind” won five more in future Games — including for the long jump in ’96 — to be one of only three Olympians to take the same individual event four times.

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Nadia Comaneci

In 1976, this young Romanian athlete came to Montreal and made history as the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 — a feat she’d do five more times en route to three gold medals. “Looking back, the courage, the craziness and determination, I look at that 14-year-old like it’s not me.”

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