Top 5 Upsets At Olympic Games

It’s an athlete’s ultimate dream to compete in the Olympic games. It’s the biggest stage with millions of people across the globe glued to their screens. Some athletes do the unthinkable, breaking records and defying all odds. Here are five of the biggest upsets in the history of the Games.

Chad Le Clos

Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time with a total of 28 medals. He was a gold medal machine in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but during the London Olympics, this changed. That became apparent to spectators in the 200-meter butterfly final, in which he lost to South Africa’s golden boy, Chad le Clos. Le Clos was only 20 years old and participating in his first Olympics and further revealed that he wasn’t expecting to beat Phelps as he regards him as an “Idol”.

Japan’s Softball Team

Softball was introduced as an Olympic sport in the 1996 Summer Olympics and was dominated by the United States who won every gold medal since its conception. After the 2004 Olympics, the International Olympic Committee decided to discontinue the event. In 2012, the sport returned with a bang as Japan caused a huge upset, defeating the USA 3-1. Making the loss even worse? It was rumoured that the main reason the sport was dropped from the Olympics was that the USA team was too dominant.

Argentina’s Basketball Team

The United States had been dominating and taking home the gold medal in basketball every year since 1988. After the Dream Team’s Olympic gold medal in 1992, many thought their run would come to an end but they continued to coast along, winning gold at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.

That’s why it came as a big shock when Argentina beat them 89-81 in 2004 in the semi-finals. Argentina then went on to beat Italy in the final, taking home the gold. Since that defeat, the US went on to recapture the glory moments claiming gold in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympic Games.

Misty Hyman

The 200-meter butterfly final was known as Australian, Susie O’Neill’s race. She was the favourite to win the 2000 Olympics gold medal and was the defending champion after winning gold in Atlanta. O’Neill also wanted to make a statement in front of the home crowd but American Misty Hyman had other ideas, causing one of the greatest upsets in the history of the Olympic Games. Till today, O’Neill is remembered in the swimming community for her skills on the stroke – she even earned the nickname “Madame Butterfly.”

Sandra Izbasa

Izbasa of Romania won gold in London 2012, even though McKayla Maroney was widely regarded as the top gymnast in the world on the vault, but fell short during the individual event at the 2012 London Olympics. During one of her infamous high-flying vaults, she fell on her landing, which knocked her down to second place, earning her a silver medal. After winning the silver medal in the vault finals, Maroney was photographed on the medal podium while giving a brief look of disappointment with her lips pursed to the side and her photo became an “internet meme”. That is how Izbasa’s victory left a sour taste on the American gymnast.