Here are the five most memorable moments that happened at the Olympics

1. At the Olympics in 1996 Kerry Strug vaults despite her leg injury.

Kerry Strug is an Olympian who is well-known for her ankle injury.  This injury took place at the vault apparatus at the Olympics in 1996.  Strug fell and injured her ankle on her first vault attempt.  She then stood and tried to do the vault again for her second attempt.  She received great scores for her second attempt at her vault. 

---

The iconic McKayla Maroney “duck face” at the podium.

2. At the Olympics in 2012 McKayla Maroney made the “duck face” at the podium after her fall on the vault apparatus.

McKayla Maroney was the gold-medal contender for the vault apparatus at the Olympics in 2012. When she completed her vault she fell instead. McKayla Maroney received a silver medal for her vault. While she was on the podium she was not impressed. Her subsequent “duck face” was displayed for the world to see. The “duck face” soon became a popular meme throughout the internet.

---

3. At the Olympics in 2008 Michael Phelps won eight gold medals.

Michael Phelps won eight gold medals at the Olympics in 2008. This swimmer won at the 400-meter individual medley, at the 4 X 100-meter free-style, at the 200-meter free-style, at the 200-meter butterfly, at the 4 X 200-meter free-style relay, at the 200-meter individual medley, at the 100-meter butterfly, and, finally, at the 4 X 100-meter medley relay. Phelps was important to the U.S. Olympic swimming team with other great swimmers like Ryan Lochte.

---

[left to right] McKayla Maroney, Kyla Ross, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, and Jordan Wieber.

4. The Fierce Five wins the gold medal at the all-around gymnastics team competition at the London Olympics in 2012.

The Fierce Five is a group of five girls that competed at artistic gymnastics at the Olympics in 2012. The Olympics were held in London, England in that year. The Fierce Five consisted of these gymnasts: Gabby Douglas, Jordan Wieber, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, and, finally, Kyla Ross.

The Fierce Five won the gold medal at the all-around team competition in gymnastics. This was an important event because this was the first time in sixteen years that the United States of America won a gold medal at the all-around team competition in gymnastics at that time. (The U.S.A. won a gold medal at the all-around team competition at Rio de Janeiro in 2016 after the Olympics in 2012.)

Gabby Douglas also won the gold medal in the individual all-around competition. This was also a huge achievement because Gabby Douglas was the first African-American to win at the gymnastics individual all-around competition.

---

5. Shawn Johnson wins a gold medal at the Summer Olympics in 2012.

Shawn Johnson won a gold medal for the balance beam apparatus at the Olympics in 2012. The Olympics were held in Beijing, China in that year. Shawn Johnson competed with the well-known gymnasts like Nastia Liukin at this event.

Johnson is also the all-around World Champion in 2007 and is a five-time Pan American Games gold medalist. She also won the all-around at the American Cup, the U.S. National Championships, and the World Championships.

---

I can’t wait for this year’s Olympics which will begin very soon. This looks to be a promising year for the U.S.A. at these summer Olympics

Always and forever,
Summer Parker