Kerri Strug - UNITED STATES - JULY 23: Gymnastics: 1996 Summer Olympics, USA in action, making winning landing with ankle injury during team vault competition, Atlanta, GA 7/23/1996 (Photo by ) (SetNumber: X550

Watching Muhammad Ali, an athlete who gave all of himself to his sport, light the Olympic Torch for the 1996 games in Atlanta was a particularly touching moment.

In Atlanta in 1996, Michael Johnson ran himself into the history books (in gold shoes, no less) by being the only competitor to win the 200m and 400m events during the same Olympics.

At the 1984 games in L.A., Mary Lou Retton won five medals, but none was bigger than her taking the gold in the all-around. She scored perfect 10s on her floor exercise and vault to become the first non-Eastern European female gymnast to win the event.

Nadia Comaneci's uneven bars routine at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal made history by being awarded the first-ever perfect 10 in the sport's modern Olympic games. She earned six additional 10s, winning gold in bars, balance beam and the all-around.

"1968 in Mexico City. Bob Beamon broke the long jump world record by over two feet. He collapsed on the track when told how far he flew. 'Nuff said." (urabus)

"Derek Redmond's father helping him over the finish line." (Leba). "I've used that video in presentations as the definition of character. He had nothing to go for but his own desire to finish what you start. I bawled when I watched him." (arwest)

"One of my favorite Olympic moments was watching Paul Hamm win the all-around gold. I'd always been a fan of women's gymnastics and swimming, but that was the first year I really watched and enjoyed the men's gymnastics competition." (wagirl_98)

"The Miracle on Ice of the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY! A team of mostly college players defeated the professionals from the Soviet Union. That was a real boost for our country when the Cold War was really tense." (RachelScribbles)

"Greg Louganis smacking his head on the diving board. Ouch! Made me nervous watching diving after that." (Dixiebelle31)

"Hands down it would have to be Dan Jansen winning the gold at his final competition. That poor guy had to wait four more years after his first Olympics because of his sister dying and the emotional rollercoaster that put him on." (buffybot)

"My favorite is Eric Moussambani from Equatorial Guinea. In 2000, he set a record for the slowest time in the 100m freestyle, but he learned to swim only eight months before the Olympics. This is a man who worked hard to represent his country." (Laungel)

Natalie Coughlin took home five medals - two golds, two silvers and a bronze - from the 2004 Olympics in Athens, again proving that she is a force to be reckoned with in the long course pool.