Its that moment that all Olympians hope for. The gold medal brushes gently against the athletes uniform as he raises his hand to his heart; his national anthem begins to play, his countrys flag begins to raise and pride and perhaps some tears begin to overwhelm him. Standing on the winners podium is a dizzying moment of national glory, but what exactly does it feel like for the Olympic greats who have earned this rare honor?

Eight Olympic athletes recently tried to put into words what they felt when they took their places on the podium . Hear all of the powerful descriptions straight from the Olympians in the above video, but below are a few particularly poignant reflections from some of these celebrated icons.

Carl Lewis, Track and Field

9 gold medals, 1 silver // 84, 88, 92, 96 Olympics