15 greatest upsets in Summer Olympic history

8. 1976: East German doping can’t keep the U.S. from gold

The East German women were a powerhouse in swimming. The country had won 11 of the previous 12 medals in the 4x100m medley relay heading into the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, and were the favorites to make it number 12. Standing between them and the gold was the United States, who would pull off one of the more improbable upsets in Olympic history.

Anchored by Shirley Babashoff, who was looking for her first Olympic gold medal, the U.S. team also featured Jill Sterkel, Wendy Boglioli, and Kim Peyton. The two countries were lined up in lanes right next to each other, bringing even more excitement to the race.

The race was neck and neck the whole way, but it was Babashoff who made the push at the end to give the United States the improbable gold.

The East German team finished second, but they saw their Olympic record in the event shattered by the Americans. The U.S. team’s time of 3:44.82 bested the previous record of 3:48.80, and the victory would end up being the beginning of the end for the East German team.

The 1976 Olympics were an incredible one for East Germany, who won 40 gold medals. Despite being a relatively small country, the East Germans dominated the Games, but later it was revealed why. Decades after the Olympics, it was uncovered that they had a systemic doping program.

Next: 7. 2004: Great Britain upends U.S. in 4x100m