Top 15 USA Winter Olympic Moments

#5

Dan Jansen

Lillehammer, 1994

The speed skater's long-sought gold was one of the most emotional moments in Olympic history. After failing to medal in his Olympic debut in 1984, Jansen was favored to win gold in Calgary in 1988, but his sister's death left him shaken, and he fell in his two events (500m and 1000m). Four years later at Albertville, he finished fourth and 26th, respectively. Lillehammer was his final try. A slip in the 500 left him eighth, but his agonizing ordeal ended in the 1,000. Jansen skated a touching victory lap with his daughter Jane, named after his late sister, to whom he dedicated his medal.