14 Olympic Moments that Changed History

Paris, 1900: The first female athletes participate. : The London 2012 Olympics signified a new gender milestone with the debut of Women’s Boxing, and it was the first Olympic Games in history with female athletes from every competing country.

Berlin, 1936: Jesse Owens breaks records
Black athlete Jesse Owens broke records and won several gold medals, shattering Hitler’s aim to use the 1936 Game

London, 1948: Athletes first compete in wheelchairs: The 1948 London Games marked a milestone for athletes who use wheelchairs. English doctor Ludwig Guttmann founded the International Wheelchair Games

Rome, 1960: The Games are televised: As the first Olympics to be televised and to include a brand endorsement by an athlete

Munich, 1972: Terror overshadows peace
Tragedy infamously marred the Munich Games when 11 Israeli athletes were taken hostage and killed by Palestinian terrorists

Montreal, 1976: African nations boycott the Games
Human rights were at the forefront of the Montreal Games after 22 African nations boycotted the Olympics because New Zealand was participating. 

Moscow, 1980: The United States boycotts and hosts alternate games
With the Cold War ongoing, President Jimmy Carter urged U.S. allies to pull their Olympic teams from the Games to protest the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

Sydney, 2000: North and South Korea briefly unite
In a short-lived moment of alliance, North and South Korea marched together for the first time in Sydney’s opening ceremony.

Athens, 2004: The medal design is corrected
The main feature of the medals is the Greek character shown on both sides, since their basic side has been changed for the first time since the Amsterdam Olympic Games in 1928. This is of particular importance, as from now on all Olympic medals will reflect the Greek character of the Games as regards both their origin and their revival. 

Michael Phelps II - All eight Gold Medal Races at Beijing 2008
During the Beijing Games, champion American swimmer Michael Phelps and his teammates set a new world record  in the event. 

Tokyo, 2020: COVID-19 delays the 2020 Games
On March 24, 2020, Japan’s then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced the postponement of the Games amid the COVID-19 pandemic.