eight-day stretch in Olympic Games history.
During that span, Mark Spitz competed in four individual races and three relay races at the Munich 1972 Olympic Games. Spitz not only left with seven gold medals – he established new world records in every event!
Spitz won gold in the 100-meter butterfly, 100-meter freestyle, 200-meter butterfly, 200-meter freestyle, 4×100-meter freestyle relay, 4×100-meter medley relay and the 4×200-meter freestyle relay.
Bruce Jenner smashed the world record en route to winning a gold medal in the decathlon at the Montreal 1976 Olympic Games.
Bruce Jenner arrived at the Montreal 1976 Olympic Games as the world record holder, having won 12 of 13 previous competitions. While one of the favorites, Jenner somehow managed to smash expectations.
On the first day of the decathlon, Jenner set personal bests in each of the five events: the 100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump and 400-meter run. The next day, Jenner set three more personal bests, in the pole vault, javelin and the concluding 1,500-meter run.
Having established a new world record in the decathlon, Jenner took a victory lap while waving an American flag and circling the track.
Gymnast Mary Lou Retton was perfect in the floor exercise and on the vault at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games to become the first American woman to win a gold medal in the women’s all-around competition.
Mary Lou Retton sprinted down the runway, hit the springboard and vaulted into the air at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games.
When Retton landed, she had a second consecutive perfect 10, following up on her score on the floor exercise to become the first American woman to win the gold medal in the women’s all-around competition.
But even though she could not improve her score – a change in the scoring system allowed gymnasts to count their highest score out of two vaults – Retton took her second attempt. And she delivered another perfect 10.
Florence Griffith Joyner won gold medals in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and added a relay gold and another silver at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games, claiming the title of the fastest woman in the world.
What a week it was for Florence Griffith Joyner, as she won three gold medals at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games to claim the title of the fastest woman of all time.
Griffith Joyner started by winning gold in the 100-meter dash. She then set and reset the world record in winning the 200-meter dash. That was followed by gold in the 4×100-meter relay and silver in the 4×400-meter relay.
NBA players participated in the Olympic Games for the first time at the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games and the U.S. Men’s Basketball Team did not disappoint. The Dream Team won all of its games by at least 30 points en route to winning the gold medal.
Basketball in the Olympic Games changed at the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games, as NBA players participated for the first time ever. Led by Michael Jordan and with a 12-player roster that included 11 future members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the United States won all of its games by at least 30 points.
Carl Lewis capped his incredible Olympic career by winning a fourth consecutive gold medal in the long jump at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.
Carl Lewis made his first mark at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games, where he matched Jesse Owens’ remarkable performance by winning four gold medals. Lewis capped his remarkable Olympic career with one final gold medal at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, his fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal in the long jump.
Swimmer Michael Phelps became to first person ever to win eight gold medals in a single Olympic Games at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Michael Phelps won six gold medals and two bronze medals at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, in itself an incredible performance. Four years later at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the record-setting swimmer took things further, becoming the first person ever to win eight gold medals in a single Olympic Games.
At Beijing, Phelps won gold in the 100- and 200-meter butterfly; 200-meter freestyl