10 Most Memorable Moments From the Summer Olympic Games

Canada's 4 x 100m Stunner

The United States of America. South Africa. Great Britain. Italy. Every other country had better odds of winning the 4 x 100 m relay than Canada. Even when it came to the final, those frostbitten bastards were distant +5000 longshots to win the Gold Medal, tied for the longest odds on the board. Still, the Canadians stole the show in the track and field final. 

Anchored by Andre DeGrasse, Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, and Brendon Rodney, rounded out the Gold Medal-winning foursome. The Canadians claimed their first 4 x 100 m win since the 1996 Games in Atlanta. They helped DeGrasse tie Penny Oleksiak as the most decorated Olympic Athlete in Canadian history. 

There was no guessing that Canada could have pulled off an upset of this magnitude. They etched themselves in Olympic lore and became one of the most memorable moments of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The Greatest Race in History

The marathon might hold the historical distinction of being the premier athletics event at the Olympic Games, but the 100m has emerged as the preferred contemporary competition. This year's final left spectators in awe as the greatest race in Olympic history. 

Even with blistering semifinal results, there was no foreshadowing of how tightly contested the final would be. Separated by just 0.05 seconds, American Noah Lyles edged out Jamaica's Kishane Thompson for the gold medal. However, his celebration was paused for half an hour while judges deciphered the photo finish on a frame-by-frame basis. 

Entering the Olympics as the odds-on favorite to claim the gold, Lyles needed every inch of the 100m to earn the distinction as the world's fastest man.

Canada's Gold Medal Phenom

Dominant swimming efforts are common at the Olympic Games, but they rarely come from an athlete north of the border. 

Coming into her second Olympic Games as a 17-year-old, Summer McIntosh set the pool on fire. The Canadian swimmer captured gold in three events, the 400m Individual Medley, 200m Butterfly, and 200m Individual Medley, adding a silver medal in the 400m freestyle. 

Undoubtedly the favorite to be named Canada's flag bearer in the closing ceremonies, McIntosh has cemented herself as the nation's premier athlete at the Olympic Games. 

Leaving Paris with four medals around her neck leaves McIntosh just ten shy of Katie Ledecky and Emma McKeon for the record.

Every Gold at the 2004 Olympic Games in Paris

Women's Soccer Controversy

Memorable for all the wrong reasons, Canada's Women's National Team was mired in controversy before even taking the pitch at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Disgraced head coach Bev Priestman was suspended, then eventually terminated for spying allegations, casting a shadow over the Canadian women's program ahead of Paris 2024. 

Despite the setback, the CanWNT were flawless in the group stage, overcoming a six-point deduction and claiming a spot in the knockout round. However, they soon met their demise, getting eliminated in penalties against a resilient German side. 

Unfortunately, Canada's Women's National Team will be remembered for all the wrong reasons in Paris.

Summer Olympic Games Medal Tracker 

Yusuf Dikec - Turkey's Viral Shooting Sensation

The most captivating part of an elite athlete is the seamlessness with which they compete. After his silver medal-winning performance in shooting at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, Yusuf Dikec has set a new bar. 

While his competitors bore top-end performance gear in the shooting competition, Dikec casually stepped to the line in regular spectacles with one hand in his pocket. The Turkish shooter knocked down his targets and earned his country's first medal in shooting in Olympic history. 

Dikec emerged as a viral sensation, and rightfully so, endearing himself to everyone who will ever talk about the Olympic Games in Paris.

Where to Watch the Olympic Games Paris 2024 Today | TV Listings & Schedule

Julien Alfred's Upset Win in the Women's 100m Final

Priced as substantive -275 chalk, Sha'Carri Richardson was supposed to run away with the Women's 100m final. Instead, St. Lucia's Julien Alfred stole the show, pulling off the convincing upset. 

Fifteen-hundredths of a second is an eternity in the short-distance track and field world, but that was Alfred's winning margin at Le Stade de France. That allowed bettors holding Alfred +500 tickets to walk to the window to cash their bets. 

Although the Paris 2024 Olympic Games were rife with upsets, Alfred's win stands out as one of the most memorable moments.

Novak Djovokic's Golden Slam

Tennis fans don't know how good they got it. Watching three generational superstars compete over the past couple of decades is something that won't soon be replicated, and we got to watch the most dominant male tennis player punctuate his career with the Golden Slam. 

Mercurial superstar Novak Djokovic became the seventh man to win all four majors and a Gold Medal at the Olympic Games. The Serbian defeated Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets (7-6, 7-6) to complete the feat, cementing his position as the GOAT of tennis. 

Scottie Scheffler's Come-From-Behind Gold Medal

Scottie Scheffler will forever look back on 2024 fondly. Months after winning the second Masters of his career, Scheffler added to his trophy case by claiming the Gold Medal in Men's Golf in Paris. But the dramatic fashion in which he won made it such a memorable accomplishment.

Scheffler started the final round three shots back of Great Britain's Tommy Fleetwood, needing to make up three strokes at Le Golf National. The American set the course on fire, carding a 9-under 62, surpassing Fleetwood with birdies on four of the final five holes. 

Rarely do we see a come-from-behind victory, let alone on the world's biggest stage, making Scheffler's triumphant finish one of Paris' must-see moments. 

Armand Duplantis' World Record Pole Vault

Anthony Ammirati's pole may have vaulted him to more viral stardom, but it's time to recognize Armand Duplantis' triumph in Paris. 

Not only did the Swede defend his Olympic Gold Medal, but he also broke the World Record that he set earlier in the year. Duplantis cleared the bar at 6.25 m on his final attempt, shattering the previous Olympic Record by 0.21 m and landing 0.35 m clear of American Sam Kendricks. 

Over the past few years, Duplantis has dominated the Pole Vault competition like no other athlete. It's time he inherits the spotlight for his accomplishments at the Summer Olympic Games.

Canada's 4 x 100m Stunner

The United States of America. South Africa. Great Britain. Italy. Every other country had better odds of winning the 4 x 100 m relay than Canada. Even when it came to the final, those frostbitten bastards were distant +5000 longshots to win the Gold Medal, tied for the longest odds on the board. Still, the Canadians stole the show in the track and field final. 

Anchored by Andre DeGrasse, Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake, and Brendon Rodney, rounded out the Gold Medal-winning foursome. The Canadians claimed their first 4 x 100 m win since the 1996 Games in Atlanta. They helped DeGrasse tie Penny Oleksiak as the most decorated Olympic Athlete in Canadian history. 

There was no guessing that Canada could have pulled off an upset of this magnitude. They etched themselves in Olympic lore and became one of the most memorable moments of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.