August 17, 1992

Carl Lewis finished sixth in the 100 meters at the Olympic Trials, leading many to assume his speed was gone. It wasn't, as Lewis returned to form to anchor the U.S. 4x100 relay team. Gary Smith's story read: "It was his moment, and he knew it, and the knowledge filled him with an uncontainable bliss. He blew out the lead -- three meters, five, seven, smashing any doubt that he was still the world's fastest human -- and then leaped three times into the air, threw up his arms, reared back and flung the baton into the crowd. World record. Eighth gold. Epiphany."

Photograph by John Iacono