10 Incredible Stories From The Summer Olympics
6. Kerri Strug (1996)
Twenty years after Shun Fujimoto, Kerri Strug demonstrated once again that gymnasts are all hard as bloody nails. As a part of the famed "Magnificent Seven" gymnastics team, Strug posted the second-highest score for the floor exercises. In her first vault, the nineteen-year-old landed badly, completely tearing two ligaments in her ankle, and almost dislocating the joint.
After teammate Dominique Moceanu failed to land her jumps without stumbling, Strug was required to both vault again and make a perfect landing to take the gold medal for America. Having taped up her ankle, Strug managed the vault and landed perfectly, immediately hopping onto her uninjured foot. She turned to salute the judges, and subsequently collapsed on the mat in pain.
Her now-legendary performance was enough to guarantee gold for the USA, beating the Russian team into second. Due to her injuries, Strug was carried off the mat, and later supported to the podium to receive her medal.