Whether they overcome the odds or fall far too short, we all love rooting for the underdog.
When the world comes together for the biggest event in sports, we all watch as the world’s finest athletes battle it out for gold. In nearly every Olympic sport, there are nations and athletes that seem to consistently excel.
In the summer, we have become accustomed to watching the American women shine in gymnastics and the Jamaican men bolt across the track. In the winter, we know that the Canadians are powerful force in men’s hockey and the Russian figure skaters possess irresistible grace.
While it is certainly fun to watch these teams dominate in their respective events, it is perhaps more exciting to watch those that succeed against all odds. From the courageous Jamaican bobsled team to the miraculous Japanese softball team, the underdogs have been stealing our hearts for years.
Here is our list for the Top 10 Olympic Underdogs.
Image:NBC
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10. Kirsty Conventry
Despite receiving very little support from her country Zimbabwe, Kirsty Coventry has seen plenty of success as an Olympic swimmer. Coventry has earned a total of seven Olympic medals, including two gold medals in the 200m backstroke at the 2004 and 2008 Games. Thus far, Coventry plans to attend Rio in 2016 for her fourth Olympic Games.
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9. Anthony Nesty
At the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, American swimmer Matt Biondi was expected to grab the gold medal in the 100m butterfly final. To his surprise, a competitor from Suriname would have something to say in the race. Anthony Netsy fought ahead for the gold, after placing 21st in the same race at the 1984 Games.
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8. Steven Bradbury
At the 2002 winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Steven Bradbury was well aware that he would not be expected to win the gold medal for 1000m short track speed skating. He had qualified into the final only after the disqualification of Canada’s Marc Gagnon. Simply happy to be in the final, Bradbury planned to stay in the back of the group as he could not match their speed. In the last turn of the race however, a collision sent all four of the other skaters sliding into the side of the rink. Bradbury breezed across the finish line to claim Australia’s first gold medal in a winter Olympic Games.
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7. 1980 USA Men’s Hockey Team
Shortly before the Olympic Games in Lake Placid, the United States men’s hockey team took the ice at Madison Square Garden to play against the powerhouse Soviet team. At that game, the USSR walked away with a winning score of 10-3. During a time of political turmoil, the American team viewed the Soviets as a major rival.
At the Olympics, many were shocked that the American team succeeded in their first games against Czechoslovakia and Sweden. The team went on to qualify for the medal round, where they would once again find themselves face to face with the Soviets. In a game that would soon be known as the “Miracle on Ice,” Team USA defeated the USSR 4-3. In their final game of the 1980 Olympics, Team USA defeated Team Finland to take the gold medal.
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6. Rulon Gardner
The Russian wrestler Aleksandr Karelin was largely predicted to take the gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. When he was set to wrestle Rulon Gardner of the USA in the final match however, Karelin found himself struggling. After a penalty gave Gardner the point, Karelin gave up the fight. With his gold medal win, Gardner put an end to Karelin’s thirteen year winning streak in international competition.
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5. Misty Hyman
With the home field advantage, Australian swimmer Susie O’Neill was considered the favorite going into the 200m butterfly final at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games. But about halfway through the race, American Misty Hyman made her way to the front. After touching the wall for the finish, Hyman found herself in complete disbelief at the golden result.
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4. Nigerian Football Team in 1996
At the summer Games in Atlanta, the Nigerian men’s football team pulled off an unbelievable feat. Despite losing to Brazil in an earlier round of the Olympics, Nigeria managed to defeat the World Cup champions in over time in the semi-final round. Then at the gold medal match, the team pulled off yet another comeback to defeat the team from Argentina and become the first African team to win the Olympic gold medal for football. Their success was so much appreciated by their country that a national holiday was named for the team.
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3. Billy Mills
At the 1964 Games in Tokyo, Billy Mills was not expected to be any sort of threat to Ron Clarke of Australia in the 10,000m track and field final. But he kept with the favorite throughout the race, all the way to the final lap. In the last turn of the race, it seemed that Mills might have lost hope as he fell behind. Then in the very last seconds of the race, Mills surged ahead to pass the top two runners and set an Olympic record. Mills became the first and only American to win a gold medal in the 10,000m event.
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2. 2008 Japanese Softball Team
The Japanese women’s softball team may have lost to the USA in their first games at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. But when it truly mattered, the team put on the heat. In the gold medal final, Japan defeated the American team 3-1 to take their first and only Olympic title. Since Beijing, both women’s softball and men’s baseball have been removed from the summer Olympics.
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1. The Jamaican Bobsled Team
While the Jamaican bobsled team has never won an Olympic medal, their mere involvement in the winter Olympics has been an ongoing accomplishment. The team made its Olympic debut at the 1988 Games in Calgary. Although the team crashed and did not place at those first Games, it was successful in making it to the Olympic stage. Jamaica has since sent a bobsled team to every winter Olympics up to the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City. Now twelve years later, the nation has a team set to compete in Sochi.