These Emotional Moments Are What the Olympics Are All About
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With all the adrenaline and excitement that builds up throughout the Olympics, it's no wonder that athletes get emotional after they compete. Thursday brought one of the most moving moments, as freestyle skiers banded together to pay tribute to Sarah Burke, the late Canadian skier who tragically passed away two years ago. It marked one of several must-see moments from this year's Games, and with this weekend signaling the end of the Sochi Olympics, we're looking back on emotional displays from athletes as they crossed the finish line, cheered at the podium, and embraced their loved ones. While you continue to root for your favorite Olympians throughout the final weekend, check out the most passionate moments from this year's Games.
Canada's Charles Hamelin gave his teammate and girlfriend Marianne St-Gelais a big kiss after winning the gold medal in the short-track men's 1500m speed skating final.
After winning the silver medal for the alpine skiing men's downhill event, Christof Innerhofer of Italy pumped his fist in the air.
Canadian sisters Chloe and Justine Dufour-Lapointe held hands after earning the gold and silver medals in the freestyle skiing women's moguls finals.
Evgeni Plushenko celebrated after he and his 15-year-old figure-skating teammate, Julia Lipnitskaya, helped win Russia its first gold medal of the 2014 Games.
Felix Loch of Germany celebrated after taking the top spot in the men's luge singles.
Justine Dufour-Lapointe became emotional during the medal ceremony for the women's moguls final, where she took home the gold.
Team USA's Julia Mancuso gave a big smile after getting the bronze for the alpine skiing women's super combined event.
Gold medalist Dario Cologna of Switzerland teared up during the flower ceremony for the men's 30km skiathlon event.
Team USA's Jamie Anderson cheered after winning the gold medal in the first women's Olympic slopestyle snowboarding competition.
Russian ice hockey players Olga Sosina and Yekaterina Smolentseva hugged after scoring a goal in their team's game against Germany, which they eventually won.
Gold, silver, and bronze medalists Maria Hoefl-Riesch of Germany, Nicole Hosp of Austria, and Julia Mancuso of Team USA celebrated after the alpine skiing women's super combined slalom event.
Polish ski jumper Kamil Stoch put his hands up after winning the gold medal in the men's normal hill individual final.
Speed skater Jan Smeekens of the Netherlands flexed and cheered after winning the silver medal in the men's 500-meter event.
Ireen Wust of the Netherlands had an emotional moment after taking home the gold for the women's 3,000-meter speed skating event.
After narrowly avoiding a wardrobe malfunction, Russian bronze medalist Olga Graf jumped for joy following the ladies' 3,000-meter speed skating event.
Olga Vilukhina of Russia was all smiles after winning the silver medal for the women's biathlon sprint.
Matthias Mayer of Austria leapt in the air after winning the gold for the alpine skiing men's downhill event.
Gold medalist Ole Einar Bjoerndalen of Norway celebrated his win after the men's biathlon sprint.
Ondrej Moravec of the Czech Republic cheered when he approached the finish line and won the silver medal for the men's 12.5-kilometer biathlon pursuit event.
Norway's Marit Bjoergen and Heidi Weng hugged and cried after taking home the gold and bronze medals for the women's 15-kilometer skiathlon.
In what may be this year's sweetest Olympic victory, Canadian freestyle skier Alex Bilodeau won the gold medal for his moguls performance and got a big hug from his proud brother, Frederic, who has cerebral palsy.
Norway's Maiken Caspersen Falla and Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg celebrated after the pair won first and second place in the ladies' sprint free finals.
Gold medalist Natalie Geisenberger of Germany jumped for joy after winning the women's luge singles event.
Switzerland's Iouri Podladtchikov and David Habluetzel hugged after competing in the snowboard men's half-pipe finals.
Carina Vogt of Germany was moved to tears after winning the gold in the women's ski jumping normal hill individual finals.
Tina Maze of Slovenia cheered after she and Dominique Gisin tied for the gold in women's downhill.
Gold medalist Eric Frenzel of Germany jumped up to celebrate after winning the nordic combined cross-country event.
Luge teammates Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt of Germany celebrated after taking the gold in the men's luge doubles event.
Torah Bright of Australia was all smiles after winning the silver medal for the snowboard women's half-pipe event.
South Korea's Lee Sang-hwa wiped away tears after winning the gold in the women's speed skating 500-meter event.
Victor An of Russia celebrated after leading his team to victory in the 5000-meter speed skating relay.
Marie Martinod was pumped after her winning a silver medal in the ski half-pipe.
Canada's men's hockey team erupted with joy after their victory over Team USA.
Gold medalist figure skater Adelina Sotnikova of Russia jumped for joy during the medal ceremony.
Silver medalist Kelsey Serwa of Canada celebrated her women's ski cross win.
Gold medalists Caroline Oullette and Melodie Daoust of Canada's women's hockey team were overjoyed after defeating the United States three to two in overtime.
Canada's Jennifer Jones and Dawn McEwen were ecstatic after winning gold in women's curling.
Gold medalist Maddie Bowman of the United States celebrated during the flower ceremony for the women's half-pipe.
Norway's Mari Hemmer was in shock after the women's speed skating 5000-meter race.
Bronze medallist Anna Holmlund of Sweden celebrated at the women's freestyle skiing ski cross finals.
Finland's Sami Jauhojärvi got smothered by a teammate after winning gold in the cross-country ski team sprint.