When the world comes together for the Olympic Games, incredible memories are made. From the start of the opening ceremonies to the final firework at the end, the Games are always filled with magical moments.
In the past, we’ve been treated to the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. We saw Kerri Strug bring Team USA to victory in 1996, despite landing on an injured leg. We saw Dan Jansen finally claim the gold in 1994, after the loss of his sister and a major fall in 1988. We’ve also made memories beyond the athletes. It’s hard to forget the spectacular show that Beijing put on for its opening ceremonies in 2008.
This year in Sochi, we were treated to a heap of new moments to cherish. Through the ups and downs of competition, and the mistakes in presentation, and the thousands of dogs wandering in the streets, the Sochi Olympics were a viral hit around the globe.
Here is our list for the Top Ten Unforgettable Moments of the Sochi Olympics.
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10. Opening Ceremony Mishap
The Sochi Games started off with a bang, in their spectacular show of an opening ceremony. Then suddenly, the world gasped when one shining snowflake failed to open up into the fifth Olympic ring. The mistake instantly went viral – becoming all the buzz on Twitter, and even making its way to the front of a t-shirt. Despite rumors of the operator being murdered and the fifth ring having a hidden meaning, Sochi came back in the closing ceremony to show that Russia can indeed take a joke. When volunteers clumped together and then opened up to form the Olympic rings, the fifth one once again remained shut. This time, it was on purpose. Well played, Russia.
Photo Courtesy of Twitter
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9. The Sad Sochi Bear
The Sochi mascots were virtually everywhere throughout the duration of these Games. It’s no surprise then, that the adorable Sochi bear was in attendance when the Russian men’s hockey team took the ice for the semi-finals. What we didn’t see coming? Russia was shutout of the medal games for one of the nation’s favorite sports. This time, we found the bear beyond console with his head in his hands.
Photo Courtesy of Twitter Twitter
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8. Lolo Takes on a New Role
Most Olympic followers remember when hurdler Lolo Jones missed a step at the 2008 Games in Beijing. Then at the 2012 Games in London, she just missed the medals by placing fourth in the final. After shifting her focus to bobsledding, Jones made the US Olympic team for the 2014 Games. Although her sled finished a low eleventh place, Jones could be seen happier than ever to cheer on her teammates.
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7. Iouri Podladtchikov Claims Halfpipe Gold
At the 2006 Olympic Games in Turino, Shaun White easily came away with the gold medal in men’s snowboard halfpipe. He repeated that performance at the 2010 Games in Vancouver, leaving Switzerland’s young Iouri Podladtchikov out of the medals in fourth. This time in Sochi, the tables would be turned. Iouri’s insane difficulty would prevail over Shaun’s mistakes, leading him to the gold and pushing Shaun into fourth.
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6. Meryl Davis and Charlie White Are Golden on the Ice
In 2010, young ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White were ecstatic to take the silver medal back to the United States. On home turf in Vancouver, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir claimed the gold for Canada. Four years later, after the duos trained side by side in a Michigan rink, Davis and White dominated in Sochi. The couple posted record high scores in both of their programs, to put the Canadians in second and take a well-deserved gold medal.
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5. Sochi Dogs Find New Homes
When the Olympic Games began, it became widely known that there were more than a few stray dogs roaming the streets of Sochi. When athletes heard that many of the dogs might be put down by the Russian government, they took action. US skier Gus Kenworthy famously tweeted a picture of the litter that he saved from the streets. From there, several other athletes followed suit to clean dogs up and bring them home.
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4. Canadian Coach Reaches Out to Russian Skiier
When Russian cross-country skier Anton Gafarov took a fall in the semifinal, his ski took a major beating. But under the eyes of his nation, Gafarov stood up and struggled to move toward the finish line on a broken ski. Before he could get too far, Canadian coach Justin Wadsworth scurried down the hill with a fresh new ski. Wadsworth helped Gafarov into the new ski, and then hurried off of the track in a moment of beautiful sportsmanship.
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3. Ashley Wagner in Shock
When McKayla Maroney sat down on her second vault and took unexpected silver at the 2012 Summer Games in London, her “unimpressed” facial expression instantly went viral. When Ashley Wagner received a low score for her fantastic performance in the figure skating team final in Sochi, she gave an equally displeased expression. Just like Maroney, Wagner’s face became an overnight sensation.
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2. The TJ Oshie Shootout
We were all on the edge of our seats when Russia tied with their American rivals to take the men’s ice hockey game into overtime. Then as if that wasn’t bad enough, the game headed into a lengthy shootout. Of the eight rounds played, TJ Oshie shot six and made four goals to clinch the win for Team USA.
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1. Bode Miller’s Emotional Finish
After downhill skier Bode Miller won the bronze in the Super-G, and become the sport’s oldest Olympic medalist in history, he stopped for an interview for NBC’s Christin Cooper. After questions regarding his recent brother, Miller broke down into tears. Images of Miller wiping his tears and hugging his wife made their way into headlines and tugged at our heartstrings.