A Look Back at 16 Golden Moments

The Olympic Games have always been a very special time for me. I've been to 3 of them: Vancouver 2010, Salt Lake City 2002, and my 1st was Atlanta 1996. No other event I've seen is truly conveyed better than by it's incredible sports storylines- ones rivaling any screen or story writer's imagination. This time around the stories were more accessible, with technology dubbing this the "Social Media Games". Below, I've compiled a list of the best Gold Medal Moments from each day of London 2012. Now, there may be some debate over the daily stories I've picked (especially to fans watching Team USA on NBC), but these are sports stories I saw from across the Word's Stage. Let me know about your favorite moments here or on Twitter: @JonathansWest

JULY 28TH/DAY #1: Alexander Vinokourov of Kazakhstan is widely known for his past Tour de France battles with Lance Armstrong. In an incredible upset over the host British Cycling "Dream Team", he redeemed himself of past doping scandals and won the Men's 250km Road Race. STORY

DAY #2: Team USA's women took center stage, as Kimberly Rhode was incredible in Shooting, but in the pool Dana Vollmer was behind at the turn, lost her swim cap soon thereafter, and then finally set the 100m Butterfly World Record! STORY

DAY #3: 15 year-old Ruta Meilutyte won the 100m Breaststroke by .08 seconds for Lithuania's 1st ever swim medal! STORY

DAY #4: The main highlight stayed in the pool for the 3rd straight day, as Team USA's Michael Phelps teamed up to win the 4X200m Relay. This 19th medal crowned him as the most decorated Olympian EVER, surpassing Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina. STORY

DAY #5: The host country was getting anxious about winning the top prize, that is until four and a half days into the Games. At Eaton Dorney, Helen Glover & Heather Stanning won Great Britian's first Gold of 2012 in Rowing Pairs and became the country's first ever Olympic female rowing champs! STORY

DAY #6: Gabrielle Douglas became America's latest gymnastics darling and Rebecca Soni broke a World Record in the pool, but the biggest story on this day was Kayla Harrison who inspired many by becoming Team USA's 1st EVER Olympic Judo Champion.  STORY

DAY #7: It was a tough call on the top moment again as teenager Missy Franklin shattered a World Record in the pool, but Rowing Pairs' Hamish Bond & Eric Murray from New Zealand have been perfect in competition over the last 4 YEARS! And still counting... STORY

DAY #8: It was dubbed "Super Saturday" across the host country, as Team Great Britian won 6 Golds on this day including three in Track & Field. Mo Farrah and Jessica Ennis thrilled the 80,000 at Olympic Stadium, but Greg Rutherford's outcome was a surprise in the Long Jump. STORY

DAY #9: I consider this to be the single greatest host-country story from London 2012. Scotland's Andy Murray a month ago was battling his way through Wimbledon- only to be decimated by 7 time-winner and World #1 Roger Federer. Olympic Tennis returned to Wimbledon and on this day, Murray avenged his Grand Slam loss on the same grass court, and against the same opponent in overwhelming fashion. The whole of Britian erupted, just as Canada did after the Hockey Final at Vancouver 2010.  STORY

DAY #10: A day after honoring double-amputee Oscar Pistorius by simply exchanging race bibs after a heat, 19 year-old Kirani James won Grenada's 1st EVER medal in Track & Field's 400m! Other 1st time medal winners at London 2012 included Bahrain, Botswana, Cyprus, Gabon, Guatemala, and Montenegro. STORY

DAY #11: Inside the pringle-looking Olympic Velodrome, host fans witnessed Sir Chris Hoy win the Indoor Cycling Keirin, overtaking rower Steve Redgrave as Britian's most Golden Olympian of all-time.  STORY

DAY #12: A big day fo Team USA in Track & Field, but a bigger night for them at Horse Guard's Parade- temporary home of Olympic Beach Volleyball. Undefeated in Athens & Beijing, Misty May & Kerri Walsh made it a three-peat. STORY

DAY #13: Living legend sprinter from Jamaica Usain Bolt already set an Olympic Record in the 100m four days earlier, and again led his country to all three podium positions in the Track & Field 200m! STORY

DAY #14: Team USA's women smashed a World Record in Track & Field, but Tunisia's Oussama Mellouli is the 1st ever athlete to win pool & open water medals at the same Games. He won Bronze in the 1,500m & Gold in the grueling 10k. STORY

DAY #15: Team USA's women won their 5th straight Olympic Basketball Tournament, but this was a day for the World's Game in it's most popular country. This was a victory long time in the making for our southern neighbors, as Mexico upsets Brasil in the Soccer Final at Wembley. STORY

AUGUST 12TH/DAY #16: A Ugandan surprised the Men's Marathon, but as a seeming precusor to the next Olympics in Sochi, Team Russia had a huge medal haul on the Games' final day. The World's largest country was a surprise for Men's Basketball Bronze, topped Rhythmic Gymnastics, and upset Brasil in Men's Volleyball! STORY

[Photo by: James Ridgway/Flickr]