Last Chance Champs

No kid watching Olympians compete on TV ever daydreams about bringing home the bronze. And there's no oomph to the idea of going for the silver. Let's be honest: the Games are about the gold — and not only for personal glory. "A gold medal," says Moroccan runner Hicham El Guerrouj, "would mean getting into the history books for my country."

So how does it feel to climb nearly to the pinnacle of a sport and be stopped just short of the top? A handful of the world's best athletes have set world records, won world titles and...