Any sort of podium place at the Olympics or Paralympics is an incredible achievement.
But some athletes are still pretty gutted to miss out on gold.
None, however, seem to feel it quite like the Russians when it comes to medals.
We rounded up some of the best podium pictures of the Russians coming second...
Oh a silver...yay...
EMMANUEL DUNAND via Getty Images
Alexander Mikhaylin looks thrilled with his silver from the men's +100kgs final contest match of the judo event London 2012.
Dead behind the eyes
Mike Hewitt via Getty Images
Silver medallist Rustam Totrov after the Men's 96kg Greco-Roman wrestling at London 2012.
What a little ray of sunshine
VCG via Getty Images
Silver medalist Evgeny Rylov looking uncomfortable at the Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games.
When can I go home?
Doug Pensinger via Getty Images
Natalia Zabolotnaia (L) did better than team mate Valentina Popova in the women's 75 kg category weightlifting event during the Athens 2004 games. She still not impressed though.
Come on mate, smile!
Julian Finney via Getty Images
Gold medalist Steve Hooker of Australia and bronze medalist Denys Yurchenko of Ukraine look far happier than silver medalist Evgeny Lukyanenko during the medal ceremony for the Men's Pole Vault Final at the Beijing 2008 games.
When you're just trying to hold it together
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Victoria Komova stands during the medal ceremony of the artistic gymnastics women's individual all-around competition London 2012 games.
Please God, let this be over soon
Clive Brunskill via Getty Images
Oxana Slivenko of Russia goes to her happy place while next to gold medalist Liu Chunhong of China after the women's 69kg weightlifting competitionat the Beijing 2008 games.
A silver! Just what I've always wanted!
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Alena Kartashova (L) looks cheery after the women's freestyle 63 kilogram gold medal match at the Beijing 2008 games.
Trying to hold it as far away as possible
Scott Heavey via Getty Images
Marina Klimenchenko won silver in the women's P2-10m Air Pistol SH1 event at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
Oh the joy
Hans Deryk / Reuters
Bakhtiyar Akhmedov (L) of Russia stares off into the distance at the medal ceremony after the 120kg men's freestyle wrestling at Beijing 2008.
To be fair, none of his fellow winners look that enthused either
Despite being banned from all track and field events and weightlifting, Russia will be represented in most sports at the Rio Olympics, with 271 of its athletes cleared to participate ahead of the opening ceremony, according to Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) head Alexander Zhukov.
Russian boxers, judokas and shooters were among those given last-minute approval by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the aftermath of a doping scandal which has tarnished Russia’s reputation as a sporting superpower and threatened to split the Olympic movement.
Russia’s depleted team will comprise about 70 percent of the 387-strong squad originally named for the Games.
