The 25 Most Badass Summer Olympians of All Time

Check out these athletes who made the games worthwhile.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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As the 2012 Summer Olympics in London come to a close today, we're taking time to recognize the world-class athletes that make watching the Games (even when on tape delay, FOH NBC) worthwhile. But what makes an Olympian badass? Is it medals won? Cockiness Showmanship? Their political outspokenness? Competing while injured? Yes. It's a bit of all those factors and more. From Jesse Owens to The Dream Team  to Usain Bolt, check out the 25 Most Badass Summer Olympians of All Time.

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25. Ye Shiwen

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Country: China
Sport: Swimming
Medal Count: 2 (2 gold)
Years: 2012

Dope? You know what's dope? Sixteen-year-old girls swimming faster than the fastest boys men in the world. Ye Shiwen, who turns 17 next March, swam the final 50 meters of the freestyle leg of her 400m individual medley faster than Ryan Lochte swam his. (Maybe you've heard of this Lochte guy?) Of course this has the swimming establishment crying "dope." To which we say, Pffft. Ye could be on Barry Bonds-Jose Canseco triple antibiotic 'roids and we still wouldn't care. She just swam faster than the men, and she's all of 16. You go, girl.

24. Alexei Nemov

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23. Greg Louganis

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22. Ian Thorpe

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21. Jackie Joyner-Kersee

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20. Nadia Comaneci

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19. Abebe Bikila

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18. Emil Zatopek

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17. Naim Suleymanoglu

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16. Li Ning

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15. George Eyser

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14. Oscar Pistorius

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13. Dara Torres

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12. Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali)

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11. Mark Spitz

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10. Kerri Strug

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9. Michael Johnson

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8. Larisa Latynina

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7. Carl Lewis

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6. Usain Bolt

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5. The Dream Team

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4. Florence Griffith-Joyner

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3. Tommie Smith & John Carlos

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2. Michael Phelps

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1. Jesse Owens

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