Great Britain’s Lizzy Yarnold won gold for women’s Skeleton twice (Image: Getty Images)
The greatest Winter Olympics Games moments of all time have been revealed, with Torvill and Dean’s unforgettable Boléro routine in Sarajevo ’84 topping the list. Still regarded as one of Britain’s most iconic sporting triumphs, it drew in more than 24 million viewers – making it one of the most-watched television events ever in the UK.
Other special moments included Eddie the Eagle’s iconic ski jump in Calgary ’88, as well as Amy Williams’s dramatic gold in Vancouver 2010 – ending a 30-year wait for Team GB. Lizzy Yarnold’s back-to-back skeleton titles in Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018 also ranked highly.
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The research was commissioned by Samsung UK & Ireland, which gifted its Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition phone to 3,800 athletes.
Annika Bizon, mobile experience vice president for the phone brand, said: “There’s a reason we’re obsessed with underdog stories and at the Winter Games they remind us that every glorious moment is built on thousands of unglamorous ones that never make it onto the highlight reel. What’s changing now is that athletes don’t have to wait.
“They can bring us along for the messy middle – the progress, the setbacks, the small breakthroughs that don’t look like much but feel like everything in the moment.
“That’s what our partnership with Milano Cortina 2026 is about, this belief in openness and the idea that everyone’s journey, no matter how small it seems, deserves to be seen and celebrated.”
The study also found that despite these standout moments, 37% plan to watch more of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games than they did Beijing 2022.
Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean won gold for Great Britain in 1984 (Image: Getty Images)
Other memorable moments in the top 10 list included Team GB’s women’s curling gold at Sochi in 2014, and Shaun White’s iconic snowboard halfpipe runs, highlighted in Vancouver in 2010.
While 9% selected ‘The Miracle on Ice’ – when the unfancied USA beat all-conquering Russia at ice hockey, all the way back in 1980.
Fans say these top moments stood out not just for the result, but also because their stories were moving (40%) and because they showed resilience (38%). And a fifth tune in because they enjoy the storytelling behind the Games (21%).
Some of the top reasons people want to watch more of the Winter Olympics this year are to support Team GB (30%) or to feel uplifted and inspired (25%).
For 16%, however, watching these top-level athletes helps motivate them to challenge themselves, or try new things.
As many as three in 10 of those who have watched Winter Olympics in the past have even been made emotional by what they’d witnessed.
With seeing an athlete finally achieve their dream (28%), an underdog story (27%) or watching someone overcome setbacks (23%) some of the reasons why.
And 81% agree it’s important to recognise small wins in everyday life with 61% saying photos and videos of personal progress help them realise how far they’ve come.
A further 45% think celebrating everyday wins is important to boost your mood, help you stay positive (42%) and build confidence (41%).
As many as 80% say capturing moments of personal progress matters as much as major milestones.
And of those who took part in the study by OnePoll.com, 20% are most excited to tune into the figure skating, ski jumping (20%) and bobsleigh (19%).
Txema Mazet-Brown, Team Samsung Galaxy athlete, said: “A lot of people only see what happens on competition day, but for me it’s the progress that happens every day that really matters.
“It’s landing something you’ve been working on, learning from a fall, or just turning up and putting the work in when things don’t go perfectly.
“I’ve always felt like if you stay open to learning and keep pushing, things keep moving forward. Those small wins are what build your confidence over time and give you the belief to take the next step.”
THE TOP 20 GREATEST WINTER OLYMPICS GAMES MOMENTS OF ALL TIME:
- Torvill & Dean’s Boléro (Sarajevo 1984)
- Eddie the Eagle’s ski jump (Calgary 1988)
- The Jamaican bobsleigh team debut (Calgary 1988)
- Team GB women’s curling gold (Sochi 2014)
- Amy Williams winning Team GB’s first solo gold in 30 years (Vancouver 2010)
- Lizzy Yarnold back-to-back gold skeleton titles (Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018)
- “Miracle on Ice” ice hockey upset (USA beating Soviet Union in 1980 4-3)
- Team GB men’s curling silver (Salt Lake City 2002)
- Chloe Kim’s record-breaking halfpipe win (Beijing 2022)
- Jenny Jones’ snowboard slopestyle bronze – GB’s first medal on snow (Sochi 2014)
- Shaun White’s iconic snowboard halfpipe runs (e.g., Vancouver 2010)
- Shaun White’s comeback gold in the halfpipe (PyeongChang 2018)
- Ester Ledecká winning in both skiing and snowboarding (PyeongChang 2018)
- Hermann “The Herminator” Maier’s crash and comeback triumphs (Nagano 1998)
- Yuzuru Hanyu’s legendary figure skating performances (e.g., PyeongChang 2018)
- Steven Bradbury’s last corner short track gold (Salt Lake City 2002)
- Eric Heiden’s clean sweep of five speed skating golds (Lake Placid 1980)
- Shelly Rudman’s breakthrough skeleton silver (Turin 2006)
- Izzy Atkin’s freestyle skiing bronze (PyeongChang 2018)