2000 Sydney Summer Games | U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum

Mia Hamm

After World Cup success, Hamm and the U.S. won gold medals in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, and a silver in 2004. She is included in FIFA’s Top 100 Players in the World.

Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps, with an astounding 6 feet, 7-inch wingspan, won an Olympic record 28 medals, which included 23 golds, more than double any other Olympic athlete.

Misty May-Treanor was a college star at indoor volleyball, then successfully transitioned to one of the best beach volleyball careers of all-time, teaming with Kerri Walsh Jennings to win three Olympic gold medals and retiring with a then-record 112 wins.

Dara Torres

Dara Torres was nicknamed "Mom" by U.S. Olympic teammates at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games where at age 41 she set three American records in winning three silver medals.

Lisa Leslie

A four-time Olympic gold medalist, Lisa Leslie owns 10 U.S. Olympic records, including most points in a game (35). Leslie was a three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player and two-time WNBA champion.

On Exhibit: Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Torch

The Sydney 2000 Olympic Torch was inspired by the Sydney Opera House, the blue of the Pacific Ocean and the boomerang. Its three layers represented the earth, wind and fire.

Sydney 2000 Olympic Games: American gold medalists

The 2000 Sydney Games featured athletes from 199 nations competing in 300 medal events. The United States finished atop the medal count with 93 medals: 37 gold, 24 silver and 32 bronze.

Amy Van Dyken

Swimmer Amy Van Dyken overcame asthma to win six Olympic gold medals. In the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, she became the first American woman to win four gold medals in a single Olympics.

Jenny Thompson

Swimmer Jenny Thompson is the most decorated American female in Olympic history, winning 12 medals over the course of four Olympic Games: eight gold, three silver and one bronze.

Kristine Lilly

Kristine Lilly played 354 games in a U.S. uniform and won two Olympic gold medals and one silver. Lilly scored goals in three consecutive games at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

Olympiad: 2000 Sydney Summer Games