The Olympic Series: Golden Moments 1920-2002 is the perfect way to remember these amazing athletes and their moments of glory. The Olympics are the largest and most historic sporting event in the world and The Olympic Series: Golden Moments 1920-2002 includes moments from several Summer and Winter Olympics, as well as, the most recently held games from Sydney 2000 and Salt Lake City 2002. The Olympic Series: Golden Moments 1920-2002 is the most comprehensive collection of Olympic moments since the games were first held in Ancient Greece to the present, compiling over 20,000 hours of footage into 6 ½ hours over 3 DVDs.

What I saw at this year's games held in Athens, Greece were spectacular, but due to NBC's multi-channel coverage and often poor scheduling I only saw a small portion of the overall events. The nightly presentations, edited together from events held earlier in the day, were often skewed to focus exclusively on the events featuring American Athletes. While I do have a sense of National Pride, to me the Olympics have always been about the athletes themselves, no matter where they originated from and their quest for greatness. The Olympic Series: Golden Moments 1920-2002 features the Gold Medal moments of Athletes from all corners of the globe.

Another plus for Olympics fans is that rather than trying to make every Athlete and their accomplishment a full-blown human interest story, The Olympic Series: Golden Moments 1920-2002 allows each performance to speak for itself through a series of short clips, as well as, present-day interviews with these same Athletes. This set up keeps things moving briskly and also allows for quick navigation as every clip is a self-contained chapter. While it would have been nice to see every Athlete's routine in its entirety, this Olympic Highlight Reel is a fascinating catalog of the greatest Olympic moments of the last 100 years.

Here is what is included on this 3 DVD set:

Disc 1 - The Spirit Of The Olympics

The Olympic Spirit:
Vladimir Salnikov - Soviet Union - Swimming, 1500m - 1977 & 1986
Dick Fosbury - U.S.A. - High Jump - 1968
Francisco Fernandez Ochoa - Spain - Slalom - 1972
Colette Besson - France - Athletics, 400m - 1968
Jeff Blatnick - U.S.A. - Grecco-Roman Wrestling - 1984
Lynn Davis - Great Britain - Long Jump - 1964
Yvonne Van Gennip - Netherlands - Speed Skating, 500m/3000m/1500m - 1984
John Akii-Bua - Uganda - Hurdles, 400m - 1968
Kerrin Lee Gartner - Canada - Downhill Skiing - 1992
Billy Mills - U.S.A. - Athletics, 10,000m - 1964

National Pride:
Teofilo Stevenson - Cuba - Heavyweight Boxing - 1972
Anthony Nesty - Surinam - Swimming, 100m Butterfly - 1988
Hassiba Boulmerka - Algeria - Athletics, 1500m - 1992
Yukio Kasaya - Japan - Ski Jump, 70m - 1972
Jean Claude Killy - France - Alpine Skiing - 1968
Naim Suleymanoglu - Turkey - Weightlifting - 1988
Felipe Munoz - Mexico - Swimming, 200m Breaststroke - 1968
Paraskevi Patoulidou - Greece - Hurdles, 100m - 1992
Ulrike Meyfarth - Germany - High Jump - 1972
U.S.A. vs. Soviet Union - Ice Hockey - 1980

Emotional Celebrations:
Paavo Nurmi - Finland - Long Distance Run - 1920 & 1924
Edwin Moses - U.S.A. - Hurdles, 400m - 1976 & 1984
Nigerian Women's Relay Team - 4x100m - 1992
Greg Louganis - U.S.A. - Diving - 1988
Alberto Tomba - Italy - Alpine Skiing - 1988
Kim Young Nan - South Korea - Grecco-Roman Wrestling - 1988
Brazilian Men's Volleyball Team - 1992
Bruce Jenner - U.S.A. - Decathlon - 1976
Bjorn Dahlie - Norway - Nordic Skiing - 1992
Derata Tulu (Ethiopia) / Elana Meyer (South Africa) - Athletics, 10,000m - 1988

Personal Achievements:
Carl Lewis - U.S.A. - Athletics, 100m - 1988
Yasuhrio Yamashita - Japan - Judo - 1980
Irina Rodnina - U.S.S.R. - Figure Skating - 1972, 1976 & 1980
Murray Halberg & Peter Snell - New Zealand - Athletics, 5000m & 800m - 1960
Dawn Fraser - Australia - Swimming - 100m - 1956
Wilma Rodolph - U.S.A. - Athletics, 100m - 1960
Kip Keino - Kenya - Athletics, 1500m - 1968
Ingemar Stenmark - Sweden - Giant Slalom - 1980
Bonnie Blair - U.S.A. - Speed Skating, 500m - 1988
Sohn Kee-Chung (1936) Hwang Young-Cho (1992) - South Korea - Marathon

Disc 2 - The Winter Games

A Winter's Tale:
Oksana Baiul - Ukraine - Figure Skating - 1994
Hjalmar Andersen - Norway - Speed Skating - 1952
Hanni Wenzel - Liechtenstein - Alpine Skiing - 1980
Scott Hamilton - U.S.A. - Figure Skating - 1980
Vladimir Smirnov - Kazakhstan - Nordic Skiing - 1994
Billy Fisher - U.S.A. - Bobsleigh - 1928 & 1932
Cathy Turner - U.S.A. - Speed Skating, Short Track - 1992
Phil & Steve Mahre - U.S.A. - Alpine Skiing - 1984
Maurilio De Zolt - Italy - Nordic Skiing - 1988 & 1992
Gordeeva & Grinkov - U.S.S.R./ Russia - Figure Skating - 1988

Winter Superstars:
Torville & Dean - Great Britain - Figure Skating - 1984
Lydia Skoblikova - U.S.S.R. - Speed Skating - 1960
Franz Klammer - Austria - Alpine Skiing - 1976
Steffi Martin Walter - East Germany - Luge - 1984
Christa Luding Rothenburger - East Germany - Speed Skating - 1988
Raisa Smetanina - U.S.S.R. - Nordic Skiing - 1976
Ludmilla & Oleg Protopopov - U.S.S.R. - Figure Skating - 1976
Vreni Schneider - Switzerland - Alpine Skiing - 1988
Ard Schenk - Netherlands - Speed Skating - 1972
Matti Nykanen - Finland - Ski Jumping - 1984 & 1988

Winter Heroes:
East German Men's Bobsleigh Team - 1988 & 1994
Andrea Mead Lawrence - U.S.A. - Alpine Skiing - 1952
Magnar Solberg - Norway - Biathlon - 1960
Dick Button - U.S.A. - Figure Skating - 1948 & 1952
Jure Franko - Yugoslavia - Alpine Skiing - 1984
Richard "Terry" McDermott - U.S.A. - Speed Skating - 1964
Donna Weinbrecht - U.S.A. - Freestyle Skiing - 1992
Kenji Ojiwara - Japan - Nordic Skiing - 1992
Bill Johnson - U.S.A. - Alpine Skiing - 1984
U.S.S.R. Men's Ice Hockey Team - 1956 & 1972

Salt Lake City 2002:
Janica Kostelic - Croatia - Alpine Skiing
Jim Shea - U.S.A. - Skeleton
Chris Witty - U.S.A. - Speed Skating
Great Britain - Curling
Ole Bjorndalen - Norway - Biathlon
Ales Valenta - Czech Republic - Freestyle Skiing
Sarah Hughes - U.S.A. - Figure Skating
Steven Bradbury - Australia - Short Track

Disc 3 - Olympic Highlights

Sydney 2000:
Cathy Freeman - Australia - Athletics, 400m
Xiong Ni - China - Springboard
Men's Soccer Team - Cameroon
Australia Swimming Team - 4x100m Relay
Leontien Zijaard - Netherlands - Cycling
Alexei Nemov - Russia - Gymnastics
Rulon Gardner - U.S.A. - Wrestling
Steve Redgrave - Great Britain - Rowing
Haile Gebrsellasie - Ethiopia - Athletics, 10,000m
Felix Savon - Cuba - Boxing

Closeness Of Victory:
Sergei Bubka - Soviet Union - Pole Vault - 1988
Herb McKenley - Jamaica - Athletics, 400m & 4x400m - 1948
Olga Korbut - Soviet Union - Gymnastics - 1972
Greg Barton - U.S.A. - Kayak - 1988
Eugenio Monti - Italy - Bobsleigh - 1956 & 1968
Georg Hackl - Germany - Luge - 1992 & 1994
Mark Todd - New Zealand - Equestrian - 1984 & 1988
Otis Davis - U.S.A. - Athletics, 400m & 4x400m - 1960
Connie Carpenter-Phinney - U.S.A. - Cycling Road Race - 1984
U.S.S.R. Basketball Team - 1972

Rivalry:
Emil Mimoun & Alain Zatopek - France - Athletics, 500m & 10,000m - 1952
Sebastian Coe & Steve Ovett (Great Britain) - Athletics, 800m & 1500m - 1980
Katarina Witt (East Germany) & Debi Thomas (U.S.A.) - Figure Skating - 1988
Erika Salumae (Soviet Union) & Christa Luding-Rothenburger (East Germany) - Cycling - 1000m - 1988
Horace Ashenfelter (U.S.A.) & Vladimir Kazantsev (Russia) - Steeplechase, 3000m - 1952
Rafter Johnson (U.S.A.) &Yang Chuan-Kwang (Taiwan) - Decathlon - 1960
The D'inzeo Brothers (Italy) - Equestrian - 1956
The Goitshel Sisters (France) - Alpine Skiing - 1964
Brian Orser (Canada) & Brian Boitano (U.S.A.) - Figure Skating - 1988
Daley Thompson (Great Britain) & Jurgen Hingsen (West Germany) - Decathlon - 1984

Crossing The Line:
Harold Abraham & Eric Liddell - Great Britain - Athletics, 400m, 100m & Long Jump - 1924
Abebe Bikila - Ethiopia - Marathon - 1960
Shirley Strickland - Australia - Hurdles, 100m/4x100m Relay - 1948 & 1952
Fermin Cacho Ruiz - Spain - Athletics, 1500m - 1992
Peggy Fleming - U.S.A. - Figure Skating - 1948 & 1960
Deiter Baumann - Germany - Athletics, 5000m - 1980
Jackie Joyner Kersee - U.S.A. - Heptathlon - 1988
Chris Boardman - Great Britain - Cycling - 1992
Rosi Mittermaier - Germany - Alpine Skiing - 1976
Spanish Men's Soccer Team - 1992

Breaking The Record:
Mark Spitz - U.S.A. - Swimming - 1972
Toni Sailer - Austria - Alpine Skiing - 1956
Johann Olaf Koss - Norway - Speed Skating - 1994
Nadia Comaneci - Romania - Gymnastics - 1976
Irena Szewinska - Poland - Long Jump/4x100m Relay/200m 1964, 1968 & 1972
Vassily Alekseyev - U.S.S.R. - Weightlifting - 1976
Herb Elliott - Australia - Athletics, 1500m - 1960
Kevin Young - U.S.A. - Hurdles, 400m - 1992
Lee Evans - U.S.A. - Athletics, 400m - 1968
Bob Beamon - U.S.A. - Long Jump - 1968

Supreme Achievements:
Kristin Otto - East Germany - Swimming - 1988
Erik Heiden - U.S.A. - Speed Skating - 1980
Al Oeter - U.S.A. - Discus - 1956 & 1968
Fanny Blankers Koen - Netherlands - Athletics, 100m & 200m/Hurdles, 80m/4x100m Relay - 1948
Laszlo Papp - Gymnastics - 1952 & 1968
Emil Zatopek - Czechoslovakia - Athletics, 5000m & 10,000m/Marathon - 1952
Birger Ruud - Norway - Ski Jump - 1924 & 1936
Sonja Henie - Norway - Figure Skating - 1924 & 1936
Jesse Owens - U.S.A. - Athletics, 100m & 200m/4x100m/Long Jump - 1936

The Medal Ceremony:
Florence Griffith Joyner - U.S.A. - Athletics, 100m & 200m/4x100m - 1988
Dan Jansen - U.S.A. - Speed Skating, 500m & 1000m - 1988 & 1992
Josy Barthel - Luxembourg - Athletics, 1500m - 1952
Linford Christie - Great Britain - Athletics, 100m - 1988
Christl Cranz - Germany - Combined Alpine - 1936
Alberto Juantorena - Cuba - Athletics, 400m & 800m - 1976
Ellen Van Langen - Netherlands - Athletics, 800m - 1992
The Dream Team - U.S.A. - Basketball - 1992

The DVD:

Picture: This DVD is presented in a 4x3 full frame aspect ratio, with a bearable video transfer. I guess this is to be expected since these clips come from various sources stretched out over a lengthy period of time.

Audio: This DVD is in 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound, which is a bit of overkill, as the presentation never ventures much further out than a Stereo track.

Extras: There are no Extras included in this DVD set.

Conclusion: The Olympic Series: Golden Moments 1920-2002 is a great collection for any fan of the Olympics. It offers a wide variety of sports and doesn't emphasize any one particular country, rather the focus here is on the Gold Medal Athletes that the Olympics immortalize time and again. While some of the condensed performances on this 3 DVD Set really deserved to be shown in their entirety no one gets any preferential treatment. Everyone on this disc is a winner and with this collection you'll be able to marvel at their amazing and timeless achievements.