Here, our staff sounds off on what the Olympics mean to them and the moments that have captured their hearts:

I vividly remember sitting transfixed in front of the television to watch the Olympic Games when I was a kid. Everything about them was mesmerizing and moving—the physical prowess of the athletes, the superhuman feats they pulled off, the exuberance and pride displayed by those who made it onto the podium, and yes, the crushing disappointment felt by ones who didn’t. The part that floors me: These men and women go through years of grueling training to play at the Olympic level, and they do it knowing they could be felled at any time by an injury, a political standoff (like when the U.S. boycotted the Moscow Games in the summer of 1980), or a weak performance during a qualifying round. No doubt, the discipline and guts required to pursue a medal is mind-blowing. Can you imagine what each of us could achieve if we channeled just an iota of these astonishing qualities?
–Michele Promaulayko, Women’s Health Editor-in-Chief

I’ll never forget watching the 1996 Olympics when Kerri Strug performed that perfect vault on a busted ankle to win gold. I think that moment captured how incredibly talented and focused these athletes are—it’s superhuman. Most of us would have crumpled with the pain Kerri felt in ’96, but she just hopped around smiling.
-Kristen Dold, Women’s Health Associate Editor

There are so many incredible moments that are impossible to forget. Greg Louganis smashing his head on the diving platform, getting stitches, then still going on to win gold. Amazing! Our women’s soccer team silencing the rest of world when they won gold in 2004 and 2008. Flo-jo being the fastest woman in the world, all while sporting the longest decked-out nails with nail art. Michael Phelps winning his 8th gold metal in Beijing and letting out that animalistic rebel yell with outstretched arms—it was simply electrifying!
-Molly Nover-Baker, Women’s Health Beauty Director

I have two young daughters. When I watch the games I think about how much pride the athletes’ parents must have whenever they watch their children compete. I always picture how I would feel if it were one my daughters competing and I end up tearing up every time. My oldest daughter will soon start playing organized sports in our town. I have two hopes: 1. That she has inherited her mother’s natural athletic ability (because I have none); and 2. That I will make it through a game without looking like a blubbering idiot.
-Jay Ehrlich, WomensHealthMag.com Editorial Executive Director

The Olympics mean dedication, determination, and reminds me that the human body is capable of anything. It nudges me to get off my butt and go to the gym (if they can train tirelessly for years, I can muster the strength to work out for just hour a day), and I like how the Olympics always remind me that strong, sexy bodies come in all different shapes—not just tall and slim. Nothing like watching a gymnast to make me feel proud of my own muscular calves!
-Jill Percia, Women’s Health Associate Beauty Editor

If you’re a fan of the marathon, you’re used to watching Kenyans and Ethiopians (and occasionally some speedy Europeans) lead the pack. That’s why 2004 was such a special Olympic year to me—it was when Meb Keflezighi and Deena Kastor battled the brutal heat of Athens to earn unlikely spots on the marathon podium. Meb took silver to become the first American man to win an Olympic Marathon medal in 28 years; Deena finished third, giving the U.S. its first women’s Olympic Marathon medal since 1984. Her run in particular is etched in my memory. She was a true underdog. I’ll never forget the emotion on her face when she entered the Olympic stadium right before the finish—the mixture of sheer exhaustion combined with utter joy and shock at what she was about to accomplish. That moment seems to capture what the Olympics are all about. The Games give athletes like Deena and Meb a stage to show us what can be accomplished with hard work and determination and the failure to give in when the going gets tough or others count you out. They kept dreaming big even when the odds were stacked against them, which shows us what’s possible when we don’t give up.
-Katie Neitz, Women’s Health Deputy Editor

At the heart of every Olympian is the drive to always do better, to be the best athlete they can be. In that way, every one of us should strive to be Olympians. Maybe we won’t stand on a podium wearing a medal under our flag while hearing our National Anthem, but just trying to always be our best possible selves in whatever it is we love is just as great!
-Julianna Wojno, Women’s Health Photo Intern

Photo: Hemera/Thinkstock

More from WH:
London 2012 Olympic Games: The WH Countdown Begins!
Running Tips from Olympian Natasha Hastings
Exclusive Q&A with Deena Kastor
Gold-Medal Worthy Abs: Workout Moves from Top Olympic Trainers
Print It: The Sports Workout

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