The Greatest Moments in Olympic Gymnastics

Just 17, Korbut was not considered one of the top gymnasts on the USSR team in 1972. With one move (a standing back flip to catch on the uneven bars), she stole the show.

Though she earned only a silver medal for her bar routine in the event finals, she took home golds on both beam and floor. The crowd adored her pixie-like appearance and daredevil acrobatics.

She became a household name and helped to make gymnastics popular in the mainstream media. Interestingly, the move that made Olga Korbut so famous is no longer a recognized move on the uneven bars.

Watch It

Before 1976, no male or female gymnast had ever achieved gymnastics’ top score in the Olympic Games. At the Montreal Olympics, Romanian 14-year-old Nadia Comaneci scored seven perfect 10.0s.

Her first – the first 10.0 ever awarded in the Olympics – came in the compulsory competition. The scoreboard, unable to accommodate a ten, flashed a 1.0, and the amazed crowd jumped to its feet in a standing ovation for its new star. Comaneci went on to win the women’s all-around, uneven bars and floor exercise.

Watch It

At the Los Angeles Olympics, a boycott from the always-dominant Soviet team left Retton with the opportunity to become the first American woman to win the all-around title. She needed to fend off Romanian Ecaterina Szabo, however, and only a perfect 10.0 on the vault would win her the gold.

Retton stuck her vault – an ultra-difficult full-twisting layout Tsukahara – and earned a perfect mark. She became a media sensation overnight and was the first woman ever to be featured on a Wheaties box.

Watch It

Though the Soviet Union was not there to compete for the team gold in Los Angeles, the reigning World Champion – China – was. And there to challenge China was a much-improved US team.

The US team shocked everyone by taking the lead after the compulsory round of competition. With stars such as Bart Conner, Peter Vidmar, Mitch Gaylord, and Tim Daggett, the US men had the meet of their lives in optionals to win gold. They capped off their day with near-perfect high bar routines, including clutch performances from Tim Daggett (10.0) and Peter Vidmar (9.95).

Watch It

At the 1992 Olympics, Vitaly Scherbo became one of the all-time greats in just three days of competition. He won six out of the eight gold medals awarded in men's gymnastics: team, all-around, pommel horse, rings, vault, and parallel bars.

Despite a deep field of talented men, Scherbo's picture-perfect technique and uncanny ability to stick landings set him apart. Only swimmer Mark Spitz has ever won more golds in a single Olympics.

Watch It

The US women were on the verge of an historic win in the team competition in Atlanta. Then the unthinkable happened: Dominique Moceanu, the youngest member of the team, fell on both of her vaults in the last event of the day.

With just a slim lead over the Russian team, it was essential that Kerri Strug, the final American gymnast to perform, nail her vault. But Strug fell too, injuring her ankle in the process. With just one more shot, Strug ignored her injury and ran down for another attempt, sticking her vault before crumpling to the floor in pain.

In doing so, she assured the American team its first Olympic team gold, and instantly became one of the most recognizable faces of the 1996 Games.

Watch It

Paul Hamm was the reigning World All-Around Champion at the Athens Olympics, and after leading prelims, looked to be the one to beat. But Hamm fell on vault in the all-around final, earning only a 9.137.

A win seemed impossible, until Hamm hit two incredible sets in a row on parallel bars and high bar. On each routine he earned a 9.837, the highest score of the event. On the strength of those two marks, Hamm managed to slip into the gold-medal spot by the slimmest margin possible (.012), and became the first American man to win the Olympic all-around title.

Watch It

Shortly after the competition, the score of bronze medalist Yang Tae-Young's parallel bars routine was protested, resulting in one of the greatest controversies in gymnastics.