The 7 most heartbreaking Olympic moments

The Olympics can be an emotional roller coaster. Just ask equestrian Tiffany Foster, who recovered from a broken back to make it to London — only to be disqualified

China's Xiang Liu limps down the track to the finish line after crashing into his first obstacle and losing his chance at the gold.
(Image credit: Michael Kappeler/dpa/Corbis)

If Olympic broadcasters have done their jobs right, you've probably cried — or will cry — at some point during the Olympics. They show us athletes who've trained for years, only to have their efforts undermined by an injury, a fall, or a dubious ruling. But even in such situations, these athletes often exhibit the spirit that got them to the Olympics in the first place. That's what Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang did on Tuesday, limping his way across the finish line after crashing into a hurdle and despite having no chance of winning. A look at seven of the most heartbreaking moments of the Games so far:

1. Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang repeats 2008 Olympic crash

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us