5 Most Unforgettable Olympic Champion Biopics, Ranked by IMDb
These are the perfect flicks to watch after the Olympic Games in Italy.
Olympic champions are people whose names are etched in history in golden letters, but behind every medal are years of doubt, injury, and struggle.
These movies, based on the lives of real athletes, do more than retell their biographies – they convey the obsession that transforms an ordinary person into a legend.
5. 'Prefontaine', 1997
IMDb Score: 6.8/10
Technically, a movie about Steve Prefontaine shouldn't be on this list. At the 1972 Munich Olympics, the middle-distance runner finished fourth in the final race despite being the favorite.
He intended to get revenge at the next Games, but fate denied him a second chance – he died in a car accident at 24.
Nevertheless, Prefontaine played a significant role in popularizing running. The movie chronicles the rise, fall, and tragic death of this extraordinary athlete.
4. 'Foxcatcher', 2014
IMDb Score: 7.0/10
Olympic wrestling champion Mark Schultz is preparing for the World Championships. Despite his own achievements, he feels overshadowed by his older brother, Dave, who is also a gold medalist. Dave is more popular, more successful, and happily married.
John duPont, an eccentric multimillionaire and wrestling fanatic, invites Mark to train at his estate, where he has founded a private sports complex.
After much hesitation, Dave joins them. A complex relationship develops among the brothers and their sponsor, ultimately leading to a tragic end.
3. 'Chariots of Fire', 1981
IMDb Score: 7.1/10
The plot centers on the true story of the rivalry between two British runners: Harold Abrahams, a Jewish student at Cambridge University, and Eric Liddell, the son of Scottish Christian missionaries.
On their way to winning gold at the 1924 Paris Olympics, they each face challenges, not just athletic ones.
Abrahams deals with anti-Semitism and class snobbery from students and faculty, and Liddell wrestles with doubts about whether his dedication to athletics conflicts with his devotion to God.
2. 'Miracle', 2004
IMDb Score: 7.5/10
Seven months before the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, Herb Brooks was appointed head coach of the US national hockey team. Since only amateurs could participate in the Games, Brooks assembled the team from university students.
Brooks was confident that his team could defeat the seemingly invincible Soviet team. A stern but fair coach, Brooks emphasized discipline, physical fitness, and team spirit.
Under Brooks' leadership, the motley crew became, as the players themselves admitted, a true family. With the enthusiastic support of their home crowd, the team was ready to achieve the impossible.
1. 'Young Woman and the Sea', 2024
IMDb Score: 7.5/10
Gertrude Ederle witnessed a fire on a ferry as a child. Most of the victims were women who didn't jump overboard because they couldn't swim. The tragedy shocked her entire family.
Trudy's mother decided that her daughters must learn to swim. Despite her conservative father's disapproval, Trudy quickly achieved significant success. Her talent was noticed by the American national team.
At the 1924 Olympics, Trudy won a gold medal in the relay, but that wasn't enough for her. She decided to become the first woman to swim across the English Channel.
