To say that humanity loves sports is an understatement for countless ones are being played worldwide on the daily. The most famous international competitions are even sports-related, such as the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. It's a huge industry, raking in billions of dollars every year, and its effects are felt even in the world of politics.

Today, famous athletes are bigger than rockstars, and their bank accounts rival those of Hollywood A-listers. However, every now and then, true moments of human excellence emerge through our favorite athletes. Today, we shall take a look at some of the best ones!

Two Rivals Help Each Other – 2016 Olympic Games, Rio De Janeiro

American long-distance runner Abbey Cooper (also known as Abbey D'Agostino) and Nikki Hamblin from New Zealand are two very famous athletes. They became popular through the women's 5000-meter race at the 2016 Olympic Games held in Rio de Janeiro. The pair bumped into each other mid-race and crashed to the ground. What happened next surprised everyone...

Cooper gave Hamblin a hand up and resumed the race. When she fell down again, Hamblin did not hesitate to reciprocate the kind gesture. The pair managed to finish the race. Hamblin obtained the 29th position, which was right before Cooper, who suffered a leg injury from the collision.

Derek Redmond's Father Rushes To Help His Injured Son – 1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona

Derek Redmond is a former athlete from the United Kingdom, whose career was disrupted due to multiple personal injuries. He actually backed out just moments before his race at the 1988 Olympics because of an Achilles tendon injury. He then underwent eight surgeries in the next four years that followed.

Redmond wasn't about to give up, though. He raced at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. Sadly, just 150 meters in, he ripped his hamstring and fell. Undaunted, he stood up and started hobbling towards the finish line. In a loving gesture of supreme solidarity, his father, Jim Redmond, rushed to aid his son to complete the race.

The American-Iranian Celebration – 2012 Olympic Games, London

Jordan Burroughs, an American freestyle wrestler, posted this photo on Twitter after his big win at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. He was the gold medalist in the 74kg Men’s Wrestling Freestyle. On the other hand, his Iranian opponent Sadegh Goudarzi was the one who received the silver medal.

After receiving their medallions, the pair put their arms around each other, displaying an act of true sportsmanship despite their rivalry. This heart-warming act has conveyed to the world the message that humanity prevails and inspired millions of people from around the world.

Diego Maradona Against The Belgians – 1982 FIFA World Cup, Spain

Diego Maradona is a retired soccer player who is a well-known legend in the field. During his career that spanned 21 years, this Argentine athlete played 490 games and scored a whopping total of 259 goals. This photo of him single-handedly playing against the Belgian team was taken at the 1982 FIFA World Cup.

Although Argentina lost that year's match, Maradona was no quitter. His dedication and earnest efforts as the Argentinian team captain eventually led him to win the 1986 FIFA World Cup. After the finals, Maradona was also named as the best player.

Shin A-lam Eagerly Waiting For The Final Ruling – 2012 Olympic Games, London

Shin A-Lam is a female épée fencer from South Korea. Due to a timing mishap at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Shin A-lam's German competitor Britta Heidemann was ruled as the winner of the game. Shin refused to accept her defeat, so she requested an appeal based on the error in timekeeping.

According to the rules of the game, the contestants could not leave the fencing piste while a decision about an appeal was being made. Hence, she anxiously waited there for an hour while the judges deliberated. In the end, they rejected her appeal, and Heidemann still had the final victory.

Mickey Mantle's Tantrum – 1965 Bat Day, New York City

The late Mickey Mantle was a professional American baseball player back in the fifties and sixties. He played for the New York Yankees his entire career and hit a mighty total of 536 home runs. During his very long career, Mantle had one bad day, which caught the attention of many.

Displeased by a terrible game, the athlete threw his batting helmet aggressively and got captured on camera while doing so. This photograph was the topic of every conversation back then, and it was so brutal that it even made his fans reevaluate his character.

Liu Xiang Kissing His Final Hurdle – 2012 Summer Olympics, London

Liu Xiang was the first Chinese male athlete to ever receive an Olympic gold medal at a track and field event. He is a former 110-meter hurdler, and this photo of Xiang shows him kissing his final hurdle at the 2012 Olympic Games held in London.

It was his last run with the sports event before he kissed his athletic career goodbye in 2015. During this race, he slammed onto his first hurdle and injured his Achilles tendon. However, after the race, he staggered alongside the track until he reached the final hurdle and then kissed it.

A Mile In Under Four Minutes – 1954 Oxford University And British Amateur Athletic Association Meet, England

Running a mile in under four minutes may sound bizarre, but Sir Roger Banister did it in 1954 at the age of 25 years. The late middle-distance athlete turned neurologist set a British record in the 1952 Olympic Games, which inspired him to go further, achieving the sub-four-minute mile two years later.

Although this record has been broken by more than a thousand athletes over the years, Banister’s record is widely recognized as the first. The sub-four-minute mile was accomplished by the athlete at the meet between Oxford University and the British Amateur Athletic Association. It was held at the Iffley Road track, now known as the Oxford University track. 

Vision Impaired South Korean Archer Celebrating – 2012 Olympic Games, London

Im Dong-Hyun is a South Korean archer who is legally blind. This young man has been taking part in the Olympic Games since 2004 when he was just eighteen years old. Regardless of his poor eyesight, Im has always been tremendously optimistic, so much so that he has turned down free eye surgery.

Consequently, he now holds multiple Olympic gold medals in his name. He was brought into the spotlight once again when he set a new world record (his fifth individual world record) during the ranking round at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The Undersized Baseball Player –  American League's 50th Anniversary Celebration, Missouri

Edward Gaedel, more commonly known as Eddie Gaedel, was an American dwarf baseball player. At 3 feet and 7 inches, he was the smallest person to ever take part in Major League Baseball. In fact, he was hired by Bill Veeck, who was the owner of St. Louis Browns, for a single plate appearance in 1951.

Veeck had other intentions in mind, though. He recruited Gaedel as a part of his master plan to sell tickets and multiply turnover. His baseball jersey with the number “1/8”, which belonged to a kid at the time, is still displayed at the St. Louis Cardinals Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

The Blade Runner Oscar Pistorius – 2012 Olympic Games, London

Oscar Pistorius of South Africa used to be a professional sprinter and was a consistent Paralympic world record holder. He was born with defects in both his legs, which had to be amputated when he was 11 months old. Thriving at the Paralympic Games, he then decided to take part in non-disabled competitions.

Initially, the respective authorities did not approve since his legs were artificial and gave him an edge over the others. But he eventually prevailed, anyway. Sometimes known as the "Blade Runner", Pistorius was one of the very few athletes to participate in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Dusty Baker's 3-Year-Old Son Saved – 2002 World Series, California

In 2002, J.T. Snow rushed to the rescue in order to save Dusty Baker’s three-year-old son, Darren Baker, at the World Series. Snow was a Major League Baseball player for the San Francisco Giants, while Baker was the Giants’ manager at the time. 

Baker’s youngest son was a batboy during this game and could’ve been seriously hurt had he been knocked off by any of the players. Snow’s swift instincts saved the little boy as he carried him outside the playing field. This has been a major highlight of the series and is still talked about today.

The Single-Handed Table Tennis Champion – 2012 Summer Olympics, London

Natalia Partyka is a disabled table tennis player from Poland, who takes part in both regular and disabled competitions. She was born without a right hand and forearm, so she competes with only her one hand. She became the youngest person to compete at the Paralympic Games after participating in 2000. She was just the age of 11 years old back then. 

Partyka won her first Paralympic gold medal in 2004. Since then, she has won numerous medals at other Paralympic competitions. She has also played table tennis at the 2012 Olympic Games, which was held in London. There, she competed in women's singles table tennis.

Ending With A Home Run – 1993 World Series, Toronto

Joe Carter is a former professional baseball player who played for several Major League Baseball teams. In this photo, he plays for the Toronto Blue Jays. Towards the nail-biting end of the 1993 World Series finals, Joe hit a three-run home run, which literally changed the game for his whole entire team.

Carter's home run strike made the Blue Jays champions for two consecutive years. He has become a legend among baseball fans, for Carter is one of only two athletes to finish a World Series with a home run. The other one was Pittsburgh Pirates' Bill Mazeroski, who did it in 1960.

The Only No-Hitter From The New York Mets Pitched By Johan Santana – 2012 Major League,

This is how the ex-starting pitcher Johan Santana celebrated after throwing his first no-hitter, which was also the first and only no-hitter in the history of the New York Mets. He pitched the no-hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals, which was undoubtedly one of the greatest achievements for Santana. 

Unaware that it would be his last time on the field, the Venezuelan athlete threw his last Major League Baseball pitcher. As a consequence of the countless number of personal injuries, Santana’s chances of getting back on the field became next to impossible.

"The Catch" By Willie Mays – 1954 World Series, New York

During the first game of the 1954 World Series, Willie Mays made this heroic catch, which up to date is referred to as “The Catch.” He made the iconic catch while playing against the Cleveland Indians on a ball struck by Vic Wertz. It was a hard catch, which could’ve easily been a miss. 

He used to play as a center fielder in MLB for a total of 22 seasons, playing for the New York/San Francisco Giants almost his entire career. Mays, dubbed as "The Say Hey Kid", has been a part of the Baseball Hall of Fame since 1979. 

Yohansson Nascimento's Victory – 2008 Paralympic Games, Beijing

Yohansson Nascimento is a Brazilian Paralympic sprinter, who was born handless. He mainly competes in T45/46 sprint events, which is a category for disabled athletes who have a single amputation above or below their elbow. At the 2008 Summer Paralympic Games in Beijing, he got to win his first silver medal and celebrated as shown in the photo. 

At the 2012 Paralympics, he finally won his first gold medal and also set three world records. Unfortunately, during the finals, he had an injury and fell. But since he was set on finishing the race, he hurtfully limped towards the finish line while wiping his tears.

The Flu Game – 1997 NBA Finals, Utah

Every sports fan would know who the legendary Michael Jordan is and his place in the world of professional basketball. At the 1997 NBA finals, his team, the Chicago Bulls, had played against the Utah Jazz. 

Michael Jordan was having symptoms of the flu during that game. Against the better judgment of his doctors, he still played for as long as 44 minutes. He even scored 38 points before he no longer had the strength to play! The Chicago Bulls won the game, and the game was referred to as the "Flu Game" since then.

The Crowd Goes Wild FOr Jeremy Lin – 2012 NBA Playoffs, New York

Jeremy Lin is an American professional basketball player, whose career kicked off after he helped the New York Knicks make it to the 2012 playoffs. He became popular by the name “Linsanity” after that.

Lin is one of the first Americans with Chinese or Taiwanese ancestry to play in the NBA. The Knicks point guard also the first Asian American in history to win an NBA title. He played basketball since high school and faced several issues due to his race on his journey to success. However, he persevered and is now one of the most well-known players in basketball.

Maz's Game 7 Home Run – 1960 World Series, Pennsylvania

William Mazeroski, nicknamed as Maz, was an American former Major League Baseball sensation from the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was considered one of the best defensive second basemen in the history of baseball. In 2001, he was added to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Maz actually hit a walk-off home run during the seventh game of the 1960 World Series. This walk-off home run led the Pittsburgh Pirates to defeat the New York Yankees, and it is recorded to be the only Game 7 home run in the history of the World Series. 

A Pioneer Female Quarterback – Piper High School vs. South Plantation 2012 Game, Florida

The photo shows Erin DiMeglio, a young female varsity football player who was the first female quarterback recorded in the history of Florida high school football. At a very young age, her father taught her to play. Little did he know that his little girl would be so passionate and devoted.

She played for a flag football team in which the majority were boys. DiMeglio was never intimidated by having to play against the opposite gender. Merely months since she made history in her state back in 2012, Erin was crowned homecoming queen in her school.

Bobby Orr Tripping After Winning – 1970 Stanley Cup, Boston Garden

The photo above displays an iconic moment for Bobby Orr, a former professional ice hockey player. This was taken at the 1970 Stanley Cup finals, where he tripped right after scoring the winning goal. Through the goal, the Canadian athlete won the first Stanley Cup since 1941 for his team, the Boston Bruins.

This goal scored by Orr is one of the most famous goals in the history of the sport. In fact, it is widely referred to as "The Goal", even in today's time. Orr was a humble player, who gave credit to his entire team after winning the prestigious game.

Quadruple Gold Medalist –1936 Olympic Games, Berlin

Jesse Owens was an American track and field athlete who secured four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. He was a sprinter and a long jumper and held numerous world records, and his long jump record remained unbreakable for 25 years. He was even ranked by ESPN as the sixth-best North American athlete of the twentieth century.

This photo involving Jesse is a tremendously powerful moment in the history of the Olympics. Owens’ four gold medals identified him as the most successful athlete at the Olympic Games that year. Being a person of color, this invalidated and destroyed Hitler’s myth of Aryan (white) supremacy. 

America's Miraculous Win – 1980 Winter Olympics, New York

The Soviet Union hockey team was practically undefeatable. They won first place at every Olympics ice hockey game since 1964. Moreover, they constantly beat National Hockey League teams with very little effort. Normally, everyone knew what to expect at their games.

But the American hockey team at the 1980 Winter Olympics was no regular team. It was the youngest team in American national team history and consisted of rookies. Therefore, it was indeed a miracle when a team of amateurs defeated the unbeatable Soviet Union team. This was since called the "Miracle On Ice."

Smith And Carlos Salutes To Black Power – 1968 Olympic Games, Mexico City

At the podium of the 1968 Olympic Games held in Mexico City, two African-American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos lifted their arms to demonstrate a powerful message. They wore black gloves on their hands as a display of 'black power,' which was later explained by Smith as a mere gesture of human rights.

The entire trio at the medal stand, including Australian silver medalist Peter Norman, wore badges that supported human rights. However, this act was considered a political statement by many, and it affected the careers of Smith and Carlos.