There have now been 25 iterations of the Winter Olympics after the competitions began in France in 1924. Countless moments have been ingrained in Olympic history. But which stand out head and shoulder above the backdrop of history-making achievements over the years? Here are five unforgettable moments, iconic among memories of the Winter Olympics...
The Jamaican Bobsled Team
Jamaica made its debut at the Winter Olympic Games at the 1988 Calgary Games and gave the world a story of determination and heroism.
Jamaica competed in bobsled and brought a team of Devon Harris, Dudley Stokes, Michael White, Freddy Powell and Chris Stokes. As a warm-weather tropical country preparing for a bobsled competition, Jamaica did not have much preparation or experience in the sport. At the Calgary Games, the team crashed on their third run, but was cheered on by the Calgary crowd as they walked toward the finish line. Their story was preserved forever when a movie was eventually created from the moment, "Cool Runnings."
Sidney Crosby’s golden goal
Canada’s men’s hockey team had one goal at the 2010 Vancouver Games: win gold. Anything less would have been considered a failure. Canada found itself in the gold medal game at home in front of an electric crowd against its archrival, the U.S.
Canada went up 2-0, but a comeback from the Americans sent the game to overtime tied 2-2. The pressure continued to mount against the Canadians and a gold medal that once seemed within reach suddenly felt miles away. Any goal would decide the gold medal.
Sidney Crosby, now captain of Canada’s men’s hockey team at the 2026 Winter Olympics, connected on a one-two passing sequence with Jerome Iginla and slipped the puck past U.S. goaltender Ryan Miller to win gold as the crowd erupted.
To this day, it is widely recognized as Canada’s greatest hockey moment and one of the greatest moments in Olympic hockey history. Crosby now has an opportunity to win a third Olympic gold medal at these Winter Games. Canada opens its tournament Feb. 12 at 10:40 a.m. on NBCOlympics.com and Peacock.
Hermann Maier’s crash and comeback
Austrian skier Hermann Maier, competing in the downhill at the 1998 Nagano Games, lost control at 65 mph after taking too straight a line. He went airborne and traveled a significant distance before crashing violently into the snow.
Remarkably, he got up almost immediately and signaled with his hand that he was OK. Given the distance he traveled while airborne and the force of the crash, it seemed safe to assume his Games were over.
Incredibly, not only did he continue competing, but within a few days he won two gold medals in the super-G and the giant slalom.
Steven Bradbury’s improbable gold
During the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, Steven Bradbury lined up in the men’s 1000m final with a chance to win gold after surviving multiple career-threatening injuries. Eight years earlier, he suffered a skate crash that cut his thigh and required 111 stitches. Two years before the Games, he sustained a neck injury in training that appeared it could end his career.
Despite the odds, he returned and gave himself an opportunity to compete for gold. In the final, Bradbury stayed behind the lead pack and avoided the chaos as the top contenders battled for position. On the final corner, all four leaders collided. Bradbury skated past them and crossed the line to win Australia’s first Winter Olympic gold medal.
It remains a true story of perseverance and being in the right place at the right time.
Miracle on Ice
The “Miracle on Ice” is not only one of the greatest moments in Winter Olympic history, but also one of the greatest moments in U.S. sports history.
The United States faced the Soviet Union in the semifinals of the 1980 Winter Olympics. The Soviet Union had won four consecutive gold medals and entered as overwhelming favorites. The U.S. pulled off the 4-3 upset and went on to defeat Finland two days later to win gold.
What made the moment even more remarkable was that the U.S. roster was made up mostly of amateur players from college and had lost 10-3 to the Soviet Union in an exhibition earlier that year. The U.S. trailed 3-2 in the third period before goals from Mark Johnson and captain Mike Eruzione secured the victory.
The game carried political weight during the height of the Cold War. In the final moments, announcer Al Michaels delivered the iconic call: “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!”