The Winter Olympics are just around the corner, which means it’s nearly time for sports lovers to bask in the unique opportunity of indulging in sports we don’t usually get to see. Or have you been following the short-track speed skating, curling, and biathlon circuits these past four years? Yeah, we didn’t think so.
Memorable performances — some exhilarating, others heartbreaking — are sure to play out on the world’s stage in Sochi. Who will be the heroes of 2014? Since we’ll have to wait a little longer to find out, let’s take a moment to remember some of the most memorable moments from Olympics past.
Do you remember the magical ice dancing performance by gold medal-winning Brits Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean? Their show was so amazing, the duo earned perfect scores from all the judges and they became the face of the 1984 Games. Watch perfection here.
Few can forget the triumphant story of American long-track speed skater Dan Jansen. After so many heartbreaks, wipeouts, close calls and freak accidents in previous Olympic Games, Jansen finally won gold in the 1994 Games in Lillehammer in his final race, showcasing his grit and perseverance to the world.
And then there’s the “Miracle on Ice.” Books have been written, movies made, and the legend continues to grow. The Cold War was going strong, and the U.S. Hockey Team was believed to have absolutely no shot at beating the dominant Russian squad. The Americans’ 4-3 victory goes down as one of the most improbable upsets in sports history. Watch the final minute of the game here, and listen to commentator Al Michaels yell in shock “Do you believe in miracles?!”