When it comes to a recurring rite like the Olympic Games, overflowing with triumphs and defeats, achievements and accidents, glory and shame, it is nearly impossible to isolate even a handful of its greatest moments. Nonetheless, certain highlights stand out as defining moments in Olympic history, indicative of the very purpose and essence of the cherished worldwide ritual that is the Olympics. The following are 10 such exemplary moments (listed in chronological order as there is hardly any way to rationally compare the relative merit of each accomplishment):

1912 - Jim Thorpe stakes his claim as one of the world's best all-around athletes, a reputation he still holds today, by winning both the decathlon and pentathlon.

1948 - World War II interrupted many an athlete's career, including that of Dutch track & field star Fanny Blakners-Koen, who bounces back from the travesty by amassing 4 gold medals and earning her reputation as one of the greatest female athletes of all time.

1960 - Wilma Rudolph overcomes several debilitating childhood illnesses, not least of which was polio, an illness that forced her to wear a leg brace, winning 3 gold medals in track & field.

1960 - Ethiopian Abebe Bikila, in only his third marathon ever, competes in bare feet and not only wins but sets the record for the fastest marathon finish in Olympic history.

1968 - Dick Fosbury of the U.S. revolutionizes the high jump by introducing a new technique that became known as the "Fosbury Flop" and winning the gold for his boldness.

1968 - One of the longest-held records in Olympic history is set when Bob Beamon of the U.S. leaps 8.9 meters (29' 2 ") in the long jump, reputed to be one of history's greatest athletic feats and one that was unsurpassed for 23 years until Mike Powell exceeds the accomplishment by two inches.

1972 - In a year's games otherwise marred by tragedy, Mark Spitz of the U.S. dominates the swimming competition, winning an incredible 7 gold medals.

1976 - Bruce Jenner of the U.S. achieves the accomplishment that leads him to worldwide endorsement fame (setting the precedent for celebrity athletes to earn personal wealth and fame as a result of their exceptional Olympic achievements) when he wins the decathlon with one of the largest margins in Olympic history.

1976 - Nadia Comaneci of Romania, oft-revered as the greatest gymnast in Olympic history, achieves a 10.00 in the uneven bars event, making her the first gymnast ever to earn a perfect score in any Olympic event.

1988 - After one of the most embarrassing moments in Olympic history, when he bangs his head against the diving board in a preliminary round of the springboard competition, Greg Louganis of the U.S. bounces back from the humiliation to win the springboard gold medal despite the incident.

Learn more about this author, Sage Kalmus.
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