1.  Johnny Weissmuller poses for artist John Hubbard Rich, c 1931

约1931年，Johnny Weissmuller为艺术家John Hubbard Rich的画作摆造型

Paris last hosted the Olympics in 1924, when Johnny Weissmuller, the first swimmer to break the minute barrier for the 100m, won three gold medals and one bronze for the USA. Born into a German family in Hungary, Weissmuller was still a baby when, in 1905, the family boarded a boat to Ellis Island, New York to start a new life. Painted here by John Hubbard Rich for the Olympic Arts Competition (an event that ran from 1912 to 1948), this celebrity who had risen out of poverty became an emblem of athletic beauty and the American dream. His heartthrob credentials were cemented when he landed the lead in Tarzan the Ape Man in 1932, a role he reprised 11 times. After his death in 1984, Senator Ted Kennedy and President Reagan arranging for a 21-gun salute at his funeral.

巴黎上一次举办奥运会是在1924年，当时Johnny Weissmuller是第一位突破100米1分钟时间线的游泳运动员，为美国赢得了三枚金牌和一枚铜牌。Weissmuller出生在匈牙利的一个德国家庭中，1905年，当一家人登上航向纽约艾利斯岛的船开启新生活时，他还只是一个婴儿。John Hubbard Rich为奥林匹克艺术竞赛（1912至1948年举办的一项活动）正在为他作画。这位从贫民身份中脱颖而出的运动名人成为了运动之美和美国梦的象征。1932年，当他在人猿泰山中出演主角时，进一步稳固了他的人气，而这个角色他反复出演了11次。1984年去世后，参议院Ted Kennedy和里根总统为他的葬礼安排了21响礼炮。

2. Lis Hartel wins silver in Helsinki, 1952

1952年，Lis Hartel在赫尔辛基斩获银牌

In 1952, civilians and women were finally permitted to compete in equestrian events, a discipline that had previously been reserved for military personnel. At this stage, only dressage was open to women, and they were up against the men. None of this deterred 31-year-old Lis Hartel from Denmark from competing on her mare Jubilee – nor was she deterred by her disability. Eight years earlier, she had contracted polio, leaving her paralysed below the knee. Though she needed help mounting, her disability disappeared in the saddle, and she won the silver medal. Hartel later commented: "The hardest thing was to stand on the podium."

1952年，平民和妇女终于被允许参加马术比赛，以前这是一项专为军事人员设立的比赛。在当时，女性只能参加花式马术比赛，毕竟需要跟男骑手同台竞技。但所有的困难都没能阻止来自丹麦的31岁女骑手Lis Hartel和她的母马Jubilee参赛，哪怕是她的身体残疾也没能阻止。八年前，她感染了小儿麻痹症使得膝盖以下瘫痪。虽然她需要别人帮助才能上马，但一骑上马鞍，她的残疾仿佛就被治愈了。她最终获得了银牌。Hartel事后表示：“最难的部分是要站在领奖台上。”

3.  Nadia Comăneci on the balance beam in Montreal, 1976 

1976年，Nadia Comăneci在平衡木上表演

Until 14-year-old Nadia Comăneci from Romania took to the asymmetric bars in 1976, no Olympic gymnast had ever scored a perfect 10. Even the scoreboard was surprised: it had not been programmed to expect a 10, and a score of 1.00 appeared in its place. But if the scoreboard was stumped, the crowd was delighted, especially when the schoolgirl performed the feat over and over again, clocking up a total of seven 10s and securing three gold medals, one silver and a bronze. "Nobody told me that a perfect 10 was never scored before in Olympic history," she told CBC Sports in 2017. "So I just went to do whatever I'd planned to do."

在1976年这位来自罗马尼亚的14岁女孩Nadia Comăneci参赛之前，高低杠项目中从来没人能拿到满分10分。就连计分板都没预想到这一幕：它的编程程序仿佛并没有10分这个设定，出现在屏幕上的是1.00分。虽然计分板卡住了，但是人群却沸腾了，尤其是当这位学生年纪的女孩继续着她精彩的表演时。她总共获得了3枚金牌、1枚银牌和1枚铜牌。“没人告诉我过在奥运会历史上枚出现过10分的完美分，”她在2017年接受CBC采访时说道，“所以当时我只是在做我想做的事。”

4.  Edwin Moses on an unbeaten hurdles streak in Los Angeles, 1984

1984年，Edwin Moses在1984年洛杉矶的跨栏比赛中维持着他的不败纪录

Pictured here in 1984, US hurdler Edwin Moses was mid-way through a 10-year reign where he was unbeaten in the 400m hurdles. His huge stride, requiring just 13 steps rather than the standard 14, left his competitors trailing behind. When his streak came to an end, he made an unlikely career change to bobsledding, winning bronze with teammate Brian Shimer in the 1990 World Cup. But the hurdles remained his first love. 

这张照片拍摄于1984年，美国跨栏运动员Edwin Moses在400米栏项目中维持了长达10年的不败记录。标准的男子400米跨栏是14步，而他只需要13步，这给他带来了巨大的优势。令人意外的是，他后来转向了雪橇运动。并在1990年世界杯上与队友Brian Shimer一起获得铜牌。但跨栏跑依然是他的最爱。

5.  Hicham El Guerrouj makes track history in Athens, 2004

2004年，Hicham El Guerrouj在雅典奥运会上创造赛道历史

Eighty years after the "Flying Finn" Paavo Nurmi made history with his double 1500m and 5000m victory, a new competitor was stepping up to the starter blocks. Moroccan athlete Hicham El Guerrouj, the world record holder for the 1500m – still unbroken today – took gold in the 1500m, but he still had the 5000m to run, where competition is stiffer. In the final seconds of the race, El Guerrouj cut past the two lead runners and made it first across the finishing line. On the podium, he was overcome.

在“飞翔的芬兰人”Paavo Nurmi以1500和5000米双金牌创造历史的80年后，一位全新的竞争对手刚登上起跑线。摩洛哥运动员Hicham El Guerrouj是1500米世界记录的保持者，至今仍未被打破。虽然在1500米中夺得了金牌，但他还有5000米赛要去征服，而那个赛场的竞争更加激烈。在比赛的最后几秒钟，El Guerroj超越了两名领先者，率先冲过了终点线。在领奖台上，他情难自抑。

6.  Usain Bolt dominates the men's sprinting in Beijing, 2008

2008年，Usain Bolt在北京奥运会赛场上独占鳌头

The 6ft 5in Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt trounced the competition at the Beijing Olympics, finishing the 100m, 200m and 4x100m strides ahead of the pack, and breaking three world records in the process. Joking around on the starting line and finishing up with his trademark To Di World victory pose, which he later patented, the charismatic athlete soon became the poster boy for the Beijing Olympics. But 2008 was just the beginning.

身高195cm的牙买加短跑运动员Usain Bolt在北京奥运会上大获全胜，以绝对领先的成绩完成了100米、200米和4x100米的赛程，同时打破了三项世界纪录。这位魅力非凡的运动员在起跑线上轻松地开着玩笑，并摆出了他标志性的“To Di World”动作。他很快成为了北京奥运会的海报人物。但2008年只是他的开始。