Famous Olympic Winners in the 1980s

Carl Lewis, Mary Lou Retton and Katarina Witt were just some of the legendary Olympic winners during the 1980s. The decade is also known for its boycotts. Western nations boycotted the 1980 Summer Games held in Moscow, while Eastern nations boycotted the 1984 Summer Games held in Los Angeles. Boycotts aside, the 1980s still produced a laundry list of memorable Olympic moments and champions.

  1. 1980 Stars

    • The 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York featured three standout performances from Eric Heiden, Mike Eruzione, and Jim Craig. Heiden, a speed skater, became the first athlete to win five individual gold medals in a single event. The United States hockey team, which had lost to the Soviet Union 10-3 in an exhibition game just before the Olympic Games, beat the Soviets 4-3 in the medal round. Eruzione scored the winning goal while Craig, the goalie, made 39 saves. The win prompted announcer Al Michaels to utter the now famous phrase, "Do you believe in miracles? Yes!" The U.S. went on to win the gold medal game 4-2 over Finland.

    Mary Lou Retton

    • Gymnast Mary Lou Retton landed a perfect 10 on her last two vaults during the 1984 Summer Games held in Los Angeles, California. Retton won bronze medals for the uneven bars and the floor exercise, and silver medals for the team and vault competition. However, she is most remembered for becoming the first American woman in Olympic history to win a gold medal in the all-around competition. No athlete won more medals that summer. Retton was named "Sportswoman of the Year" by "Sports Illustrated" for 1984.

    Summer Of '88

    • Canadian runner Ben Johnson defeated Carl Lewis in the 100-meter dash during the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul, South Korea. His gold medal was stripped after he tested positive for steroid use. Johnson had set a world record with a time of 9.79 seconds. Lewis, who also won a gold medal in the long jump, was named the dash winner in Johnson's place. Florence Griffith Joyner won four medals, including golds in the 100 and 200-meter dashes and the 4-by-100-meter rally. Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Joyner's sister-in-law, won gold for the heptathlon and the long jump.

    Brian and Katarina

    • In 1984, East German figure skater Katarina Witt won her first gold medal in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She won another in Calgary, Alberta during the 1988 Games. Brian Boitano won the gold medal for men's figure skating during the 1988 Winter Games, defeating Brian Orser among others. Boitano and Witt performed together after the '88 games, starring in television specials and an ice show that toured throughout North America. Both were inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame.