Olympic Games

Barcelona, 1992

It was a rare Olympic Games in 1992 with no boycotts. For the first time in decades, every single nation with an Olympic Committee showed up, even Cuba, North Korea, and South Africa. The Soviet Union had broken up, and the new Russian republics competed under one banner. The Berlin Wall had been torn down - so East and West Germany competed together as a united country. South Africa returned to the Games after the end of apartheid and 32 years of sporting isolation. A record 172 nations participated, represented by 10,563 athletes.
With the door open to professional athletes, the U.S. sent a Basketball Dream Team including Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Karl Malone. As expected, they went undefeated throughout the tournament.
World Cup athletes were allowed to compete in soccer for the first time, but only three players over the age of 23 were allowed on each team, effectively making the Olympic event the under-23 championship.
Cuba won seven gold medals in boxing, and the first one ever awarded in baseball.
In the end, the Unified Team takes home 112 medals, the United States has 108, and Germany has 82. A total of 64 nations win at least one medal, the highest number yet.

Gymnast Vitaly Scherbo of the Unified Team won six gold medals in gymnastics.
Carl Lewis won two more gold medals, bringing his total to eight.
13-year-old Fu Mingxia of China won the platform diving event, making her the second-youngest person to win an individual gold medal.