Nadia Comăneci is a Romanian gymnast who won three Olympic gold medals at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. She was also the first female gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in an Olympic gymnastic event. She won two more gold medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow and collected nine Olympic medals in total. She is one of the best-known gymnasts in the world.
Michael Johnson is a retired American sprinter. He won four Olympic gold medals (in 1992, 1996 and 2000). Johnson currently holds the world record in the 400 meters (43.18 seconds). He formerly held the world record in the 200 meters. Johnson famously wore gold track shoes during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. He is one of the greatest long sprinters in history.
Usain Bolt is a Jamaican sprinter, a six-time Olympic gold medalist and an electric personality. He is the world record record holder in the 100 meters (9.58 seconds) and the 200 meters (19.19 seconds). Bolt is the fastest man of all time, exceeding 24 miles per hour during sprints. He won the 100 meters, 200 meters and 4×100 meter relay at both the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2012 Summer Olympics.
It would be fun to see Bolt set world records in the 400 meters and the long jump, if he’s willing to train for those events before he passes his prime. He surely has the freakish natural talent required.
Florence Griffith-Joyner, also known as Flo-Jo, was an American track and field athlete. She is the fastest woman of all time, still holding the world record in the 100 meters (10.49 seconds) and 200 meters (21.34 seconds)—both set in 1988 and never seriously challenged. She was also known for her trademark one-legged track suits and her long, colorful fingernails that matched her outfits. She died of epilepsy in 1998 at the age of 38.
Note: Flo-Jo was the wife of Olympic champion triple jumper Al Joyner and the sister-in-law of heptathlete and long jumper Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee is a retired American athlete, ranked among the all-time greatest athletes in the women’s heptathlon and the women’s long jump. She won three gold, one silver and two bronze Olympic medals at four different Olympic Games (1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996). Sports Illustrated for Women magazine voted Joyner-Kersee the Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century.
Note: Jackie was the sister-in-law of the late Florence Griffith-Joyner, the “fastest woman of all time.” Flo-Jo married Jackie’s brother Al Joyner, an Olympic champion triple jumper.
Mark Spitz is a retired American swimmer. He won seven gold medals at the 1972 Summer Olympics—an achievement only surpassed by Michael Phelps, who won eight golds at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Spitz set new world records in all seven events in which he competed, a record that still stands. He also won four medals (two golds) at the 1968 Summer Olympics.
Michael Phelps is an American swimmer and the most decorated Olympian of all time with 22 medals. He also holds the all-time record for gold medals with 18. In winning eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Phelps took the record for the most first-place finishes at any single Olympics. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, he won four golds and two silver medals.
Jesse Owens was a barrier-breaking American track and field athlete. At a Big Ten track meet in 1935, Owens set three world records and tied a fourth in a span of 45 minutes. He was the most successful athlete at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Nazi Germany, where he achieved international fame by winning gold in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 relay and long jump.
Carl Lewis is an American former track and field athlete, who won 10 Olympic medals, including nine gold. His career spanned from 1979 to 1996, when he last won an Olympic title and subsequently retired. Lewis was a dominant sprinter and long jumper who topped the world rankings in the 100 meters, 200 meters and long jump events frequently.
LeBron James is an NBA player with the Miami Heat who plays the small forward position. He played for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2003-2010. King James is an NBA champion, NBA Finals MVP, three-time NBA MVP and NBA Rookie of the Year. He is an eight-time NBA All-Star and has earned eight All-NBA honors and four All-Defensive honors.
I submit that LeBron’s performance during the 2012 NBA Finals elevated his status to one of the 14 greatest NBA players of all time. He is currently playing on the U.S. men’s national basketball team in the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Wenlock and Mandeville are the official mascots for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics being held in London. The mascots, unveiled in 2010, are animations depicting two drops of steel from a steelworks in Bolton. They are named after the town of Much Wenlock, which held a forerunner of the current Olympics, and Stoke Mandeville Hospital, which organized a precursor of the Paralympics.
As for the designs of Wenlock and Mandeville, you say “drop of steel,” I say “penis monster in a crotchless jumpsuit.” But at least these mascots don’t look like Lisa Simpson performing fellatio on London, which is what was selected for the official London 2012 logo, at great expense.
Wenlock and Mandeville are the official mascots for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics being held in London. The mascots, unveiled in 2010, are animations depicting two drops of steel from a steelworks in Bolton. They are named after the town of Much Wenlock, which held a forerunner of the current Olympics, and Stoke Mandeville Hospital, which organized a precursor of the Paralympics.
Apparently Grant Hunter of Orwellian Britain is to blame for these London Olympics mascot designs. Illuminati, what?
Novak Djokovic is a Serbian tennis player who has won five Grand Slam singles titles, between 2008 and 2012. In 2011, Djokovic became the sixth male player in the Open Era to win three Grand Slams in a calendar year. During 2011, he compiled in 43-match winning streak and finished the season with a 70-6 record and No. 1 in the world. He’s one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
This is 8-bit tennis character #8 of 8 in celebration of Wimbledon. Also, Djokovic’s long-time girlfriend Jelena Ristić is possibly the most supportive and adorably emotive tennis fan ever. Happy Fourth of July!
Rafael Nadal is a Spanish tennis player who has won 11 Grand Slam singles titles, between 2005 and 2012. His wins include a record seven French Open titles and the 2008 Olympic gold medal in singles. He’s one of the greatest tennis players of all time—and the greatest clay court player in history, as his nickname “The King of Clay” attests.
Note: This is 8-bit tennis character #7 of 8 in celebration of Wimbledon.
Roger Federer is a Swiss tennis player who has won a men’s record 16 Grand Slam singles titles, between 2003 and 2011. He has appeared in an unprecedented 23 career Grand Slam tournament finals, including a men’s record ten in a row, and appeared in 18 of 19 finals from 2005 through 2010. He’s one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
Note: This is 8-bit tennis character #6 of 8 in celebration of Wimbledon.
Pete Sampras is an American former tennis player who won 14 Grand Slam singles titles between 1990 and 2002. He was the year-end world No. 1 for six consecutive years (1993-1998), a record for the Open Era. His seven Wimbledon singles championships are also an Open Era record. He’s one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
Note: This is 8-bit tennis character #5 of 8 in celebration of Wimbledon.
Andre Agassi is an American former tennis player who won eight Grand Slam singles titles (and competed in 15 Grand Slam finals) between 1990 and 2005. He also won the 1996 Olympic gold medal in singles. Agassi has been called the best service returner in the history of the game. He’s one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
Note: This is 8-bit tennis character #4 of 8 in celebration of Wimbledon. Now-bald Agassi is sporting his iconic 1990s-era mullet, which he recently revealed was a wig.
Boris Becker is a German former tennis player who won six Grand Slam singles titles and an Olympic gold medal in doubles between 1985 and 1996. He is the youngest-ever winner of the men’s singles title at Wimbledon at the age of 17. He’s one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
Note: This is 8-bit tennis character #3 of 8 in celebration of Wimbledon.
Stefan Edberg is a Swedish former tennis player who won six Grand Slam singles titles and three Grand Slam men’s doubles titles between 1985 and 1996. A major proponent of the serve-and-volley style of tennis, he is a former world No. 1 professional tennis player (in both singles and doubles). He’s one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
Note: This is 8-bit tennis character #2 of 8 in celebration of Wimbledon.
Oscar Pistorius – No. 484
Oscar Pistorius is a South African sprinter and Paralympics gold medalist. Known as the “Blade Runner” and “the fastest man on no legs,” Pistorius, who has a double below-knee amputation, is the world record holder for T44 in the 100, 200 and 400 meters. He runs with the aid of Cheetah Flex-Foot carbon fiber artificial limbs. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, the amazing Pistorius became the first double-leg amputee to participate in the Olympics.
One of my favorite Olympic moments was when Grenada teenager Kirani James asked Pistorius to exchange name bibs with him after their 400-meter semifinal (in which Pistorius was eliminated). It was a touching gesture and a gracious show of respect. James went on to win the gold medal, which was the first medal for Grenada in Olympic history.