The Olympics are a global obsession that captivates me and my colleagues with thrilling victories and viral athlete TikToks. Iconic moments caught on camera, like Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina’s reaction to a huge wave, remind us why we can’t get enough of it.
As senior editor for design at The athleteI spent countless hours sifting through Olympic photos and was surprised to discover so many hidden gems. Inspired by these finds, I have put together a selection of my favorite shots from each of the 32 Olympic disciplines.
Which one stands out to you? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Water sports
Mexicans Gabriela Agúndez Garcia and Alejandra Orozco Loza compete in the final of the women’s synchronized 10-meter platform diving event. (Photo: Sebastien Bozon / AFP via Getty)
Archery
Ana Vazquez of Team Mexico competes in the women’s 1/32 individual archery competition against Charline Schwarz of Team Germany. (Photo: Julian Finney / Getty)
athletics
Jamaica’s Hansle Parchment prepares to compete in the men’s 110-meter hurdles. (Photo: Jewel Samad / AFP via Getty)
badminton
India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy hits a shot during his men’s doubles badminton group match against France. (Photo: Sebastien Berda / AFP via Getty)
basketball
LeBron James of the U.S. team dunks the ball during a group match against Serbia. (Editor’s note: Image taken with a remote camera positioned above the court) (Photo: Pool/Getty)
Boxing
Spaniard Enmanuel Reyes is beaten by Belgian Victor Schelstraete in the quarterfinals of the men’s boxing match up to 92 kg. (Photo: Mohg Rasfan / AFP via Getty)
Breaking (Breakdancing)
American breaker Logan Edra, known as B-Girl Logistx, competes in the women’s breaking round robin. (Photo: Odd Andersen / AFP via Getty)
Canoeing
Monica Doria Vilarrubla from Andorra prepares for the start of the women’s kayak individual races in the canoe slalom. (Photo: Olivier Morin / AFP via Getty)
Ride a bike
US-American Justin Dowell competes in the men’s park qualification. (Photo: Tim de Waele / Getty)
Equestrian sports
German Christian Kukuk takes part in the team final in show jumping at the Palace of Versailles with his horse Checker 47. (Photo: Pierre-Philippe Marcou / AFP via Getty)
fencing
Mohamed El-Sayed of the Egyptian team celebrates his victory in the men’s individual épée bronze medal match against Tibor Andrasfi of the Hungarian team. (Photo: Patrick Smith / Getty)
football
Spanish midfielder Fermín López (left) scores his team’s second goal in the men’s gold medal match between France and Spain. (Photo: Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP via Getty)
golf
Colombian Maria Jose Uribe reacts after missing a putt during round 3 of the women’s golf tournament. (Photo: Emmanuel Dunand / AFP via Getty)
gymnastics
The Italian Sofia Raffaeli competes with the ball in the individual all-around qualification in rhythmic gymnastics. (Photo: Gabriel Bouys / AFP via Getty)
Handball
Thale Rushfeldt Deila of Team Norway tries to shoot the ball during the women’s quarterfinal match between Ana Cláudia Bolzan and Bruna de Paula of Team Brazil. (Photo: Alex Davidson / Getty)
Hockey (field hockey)
Grace Balsdon of Great Britain looks on during a hockey training session on the first day of the Olympics. (Photo: Steph Chambers / Getty)
Judo
Serbian Marica Perisic reacts after her defeat against Japanese Haruka Funakubo in the women’s judo repechage up to 57 kg. (Photo: Luis Robayo / AFP via Getty)
Modern Pentathlon
Ahmed Elgendy of Team Egypt reacts after crossing the finish line in the men’s individual final, the Laserrun. (Photo: Matthew Stockman / Getty)
rowing
Quentin Antognelli of Monaco competes in the final D of the men’s single sculls. (Photo: Justin Setterfield / Getty)
Rugby Sevens
Ireland’s Emily Lane (centre) catches the ball in a line-out over teammate Erin King (bottom) during a women’s rugby sevens match for seventh place between Great Britain and Ireland. (Photo: Carl De Souza / AFP via Getty)
Sailing
Rhiannan Brown and Brin Liddell from Australia compete in the Mixed Multihull Nacra class. (Photo: Phil Walter / Getty)
Shoot
Chile’s Francisca Crovetto Chadid competes in the women’s skeet final. (Photo: Alain Jocard / AFP via Getty)
Skateboarding
Denmark’s Viktor Solmunde trains in the bowl ahead of the men’s park skateboarding competition. (Photo: Odd Andersen / AFP via Getty)
Sport climbing
Slovenia’s Janja Garnbret reacts after competing in the women’s sport climbing semifinals. (Photo: Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP via Getty)
surfing
Brisa Hennessy of Costa Rica jumps off a wave during the bronze medal final of the women’s surfing event in Teahupo’o on the French Polynesian island of Tahiti. (Photo: Ben Thouard — Pool / Getty)
Table tennis
Senegal’s Ibrahima Diaw eyes the ball as he serves against Wong Chun-ting of Hong Kong in their men’s table tennis round of 64 match. (Photo: Jung Yeon-je / AFP via Getty)
Taekwondo
Turkey’s Nafia Kuş Aydin celebrates her victory against Britain’s Rebecca McGowan in the women’s 67 kg taekwondo match for the bronze medal with the flag of her country. (Photo: David Gray / AFP via Getty)
tennis
Britain’s Andy Murray serves as he and partner Dan Evans (not pictured) play against Japan’s Kei Nishikori and Taro Daniel in the first round of a men’s doubles match. (Photo: Clive Brunskill / Getty)
Triathlon
Italian Gianluca Pozzatti sits after the men’s individual triathlon. (Photo: Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP via Getty)
Volleyball (beach)
Canada’s Brandie Wilkerson watches the ball during the women’s beach volleyball quarterfinal match against Spain. (Photo: Carl De Souza / AFP via Getty)
Weightlifting
Solfrid Koanda of Team Norway performs a snatch in the women’s 81 kg weightlifting competition. (Photo: Lars Baron / Getty)
Wrestling
India’s Vinesh Phogat reacts after battling Japan’s Yui Susaki in the women’s 50 kg freestyle final in the round of 16. (Photo: Dan Mullan / Getty)
(Top photo by Viktor Solmunde: Odd Andersen / AFP via Getty)
