Sports Illustrated’s Greatest U.S. Summer Olympians in Photos

Sunisa Lee wins the individual all-around gold medal in women's artistic gymnastics at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. 

Carl Lewis leaps 8.72 meters during the long jump competition at the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics. 

Michael Phelps (left) and Milorad Čavić of Serbia touch the wall to finish the men's 100-meter butterfly final during the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Phelps won gold medal by 0.01 seconds and set the Olympic record with time of 50.58.

Tommie Smith and John Carlos raise their fists in protest during the medal ceremony for the men's 200 meters at the 1968 Mexico City Summer Olympics. 

Dara Torres jumps off the blocks during start of of the women's 4x100-meter medley relay during the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. 

Serena Williams serves the ball during the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics.  

Christian Laettner, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Chris Mullin, Charles Barkley and Magic Johnson receive their gold medals after winning the men's basketball final at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics. 

Allyson Felix wins gold during the women's 200-meter final at the 2012 London Summer Olympics.

Caeleb Dressel celebrates after winning gold in the men's 100-meter freestyle final at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. 

Lisa Leslie (9) battles the New Zealand basketball team during the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics.

Mark Spitz is carried off by his teammates after winning the gold medal in a relay event at the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics.

Lee Kiefer wins gold in the women’s foil at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. 

Gabby Douglas performs on the balance beam on her way to a gold medal during the women's all-around competition at the 2012 London Summer Olympics. 

Rulon Gardner (right) defeats Alexander Karelin of Russia during the men's 130kg gold medal match at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics. 

Florence Griffith Joyner celebrates after winning gold in a 200-meter race at the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics.

Natalie Coughlin starts the women's 100-meter backstroke during the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

Wilma Rudolph wins the women's 200-meter race during the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics.

Kerri Walsh Jennings celebrates with the American flag after winning the gold medal in women's beach volleyball during the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. 

Michael Johnson wins the gold medal in the men's 200 meters and sets a new world record during the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics.

LeBron James makes a shot during the match against Australia during the 2012 London Summer Olympics. 

Lydia Jacoby celebrates with teammate Lilly King and Tatjana Schoenmaker of South Africa after winning the women's 100-meter breaststroke during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 

Simone Biles competes for gold in the women's gymnastics floor exercise event during the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics. 

Mariel Zagunis (right) competes against Kim Ji-Yeon of South Korea for the gold medal during the 2012 London Summer Olympics. 

Katie Ledecky competes for the gold medal during the women's 400-meter freestyle final during the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics.

Mia Hamm chases a loose ball with Norway's Gro Espeseth in pursuitl in the gold medal match during the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. 

Mary Lou Retton performs on the balance beam during the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. 

Frank Shorter smiles as he wins the men's marathon during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics.

Aaron Peirsol competes in the men's 100-meter backstroke during the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

Oscar De La Hoya is announced the gold medal winner after a lightweight 60k match in the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics.

Jenny Thompson swims the final leg of the women's 4X200 freestyle relay at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics. 

Hannah Roberts competes in a women's BMX freestyle event during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. 

Nastia Liukin performs on the uneven bars to win the gold medal in the individual all-around finals at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

Edwin Moses races in the men's 400-meter final at the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee soars during the women's long jump in the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics. 

Greg Louganis dives in the men's springboard event at the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics.

Gail Devers (lane 3) wins the gold medal in a close finish in the women's 100 meters during the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. 

Howard Davis Jr. competes against Ace Rusevski of Yugoslavia during the lightweight semifinals at the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics.

Gabrielle Thomas celebrates her bronze medal in the women's 200-meter final at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.

Caitlyn Jenner competes in the pole vault during the decathlon event at the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics. 

Janet Evans swims in the women's 400-meter individual medley at the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics.

Wyomia Tyus powers to the finish line during the women's 100 meter at the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics. 

The 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics women's gymnastics team—Amanda Borden, Dominique Dawes, Amy Chow, Jaycie Phelps, Dominique Moceanu, Kerri Strug and Shannon Miller—stand with their gold medals on the podium. 

Lisa Fernandez pitches against Australia during the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics. 

Tommie Smith crosses the finish line, winning the gold medal in the men's 200 meters at the 1968 Mexico City Summer Olympics.

Joan Benoit wins the women's marathon at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. 

Al Oerter prepares to throw the discus during the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics. He won gold in all four of his Olympic Games appearances.

Athing Mu leads the pack en route to winning gold in the women's 800-meter final at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.

Carly Patterson stands on the podium after winning the women's individual all-around gold medal at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics.

Matt Biondi shakes hands with teammate Troy Dalbey after winning the men's 4x200-meter freestyle relay gold medal at the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics.

Diana Taurasi drives for a basket against China during the 2012 London Summer Olympics.

Amy Van Dyken hugs Dara Torres after the women's 50 meter freestyle at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics. Van Dyken finishes just behind Torres, who captured the bronze medal. Between them, the pair won 18 Olympic medals over the course of their careers.

Anastasija Zolotic celebrates after winning gold in the 57kg taekwondo event at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. She is the first American woman to win gold in this discipline.

Venus Williams celebrates after winning a gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics.