Every four years, the world agrees on one thing — who can run fastest.
The Olympic Games are humanity's oldest and grandest experiment in organized competition. Revived in 1896 from ancient Greek tradition, the modern Olympics have been a stage for triumph and tragedy, politics and protest, individual glory and collective identity. Jesse Owens defied Hitler. The Munich Massacre shattered innocence. Nadia Comaneci achieved perfection. Usain Bolt redefined speed. And Simone Biles redefined strength by choosing to stop. This timeline traces the moments when sport transcended itself.
A curated dispatch of forgotten moments, pivotal turning points, and the stories behind the dates.