Modern Olympics Games

1. In which city were the first Modern Olympics held?
Ο Athens
Ο Munich
Ο Barcelona
Ο Olympia
Answer: Answer: Athens
The Modern Olympics were first held in Athens, Greece in 1896. They were started by a rich Frenchman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin.

2. In which year were the first Modern Olympics held?
Ο 1698
Ο 1798
Ο 1896
Ο 1968
Answer: Answer: 1896
The Modern Olympics were first held in 1896 in Athens, Greece. They were started by a rich Frenchman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin.

4. Who has won the maximum number of gold medals at a single Olympic Games in the history of the Olympics? Ο Michael Phelps
Ο James Connelly
Ο Mark Spitz
Ο Abebe Bikila
Answer: Answer: Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps of the USA won eight swimming gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He holds the record for the maximum number of gold medals at a single Olympic Games in the history of the Olympics surpassing the earlier record of Mark Spitz, who won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

5. Who set a record for the most gold medals in a single Olympic Games at the 1972 Munich Olympics? Ο Mark Spitz
Ο James Connelly
Ο Nadia Comaneci
Ο Abebe Bikila
Answer: Answer: Mark Spitz
Mark Spitz of the USA won seven swimming gold medals, including four individual, all in record times at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Michael Phelps of the USA won eight swimming gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and thus set a new record for the maximum number of gold medals in a single Olympic Games in the history of the Olympics.

7. Name the person who has won the maximum number of total career Olympic medals (i.e., cumulative Olympic medals over a period of time). Ο Larissa Latynina
Ο Paavo Nurmi
Ο Nikolay Andrianov
Ο Michael Phelps
Answer: Answer: Larissa Latynina
Larissa Latynina, the gymnast of the Soviet Union, has won a total of 18 Olympic medals (9 gold medals, 5 silver medals, and 4 bronze medals) from three Olympic Games. Michael Phelps, the swimmer of the USA, has won a total of 16 Olympic medals (14 gold medals, and 2 bronze medals) from two Olympics. Nikolay Andrianov, the gymnast of the Soviet Union, has won a total of 15 Olympic medals (7 gold medals, 5 silver medals, and 3 bronze medals) from three Olympics.

8. Who was the first winner in modern Olympics?
Ο James Connelly
Ο Mark Spitz
Ο Nadia Comaneci
Ο Abebe Bikila
Answer: Answer: James Connelly
After James Connelly won the triple jump event, he telegraphed to his family the following message: “The Greeks conquered Europe, I’ve conquered the world.”

10. What is the distance of the marathon race in the Olympics? Ο 21 miles 585 yards
Ο 22 miles 855 yards
Ο 24 miles 835 yards
Ο 26 miles 385 yards
Answer: Answer: 26 miles 385 yards
The distance of the marathon race is 26 miles 385 yards or 42.19 km.

11. What is the meaning of the motto ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius’ of the Olympic Games? Ο Faster, Higher, Stronger
Ο Citadel, Attitude, Fortitude
Ο Civility, Attainment, Fortune
Ο Quicker, Heavier, Taller
Answer: Answer: Faster, Higher, Stronger
Devised by a French educationist, Father Henri Didon, the Latin motto ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius’ means Faster, Higher, Stronger.

13. Who is the athlete to win the Olympic marathon barefoot? Ο Abebe Bikila
Ο Mark Spitz
Ο Nadia Comaneci
Ο Kipchoge Keino
Answer: Answer: Abebe Bikila
Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia won the marathon title barefoot in the 1960 Rome Olympics clocking a record time of 2 hours, 14 minutes and 16.2 seconds.

14. What do the rings on the Olympic Games flag represent?
Ο Five continents of the world
Ο Seven continents of the world
Ο Five primary colors
Ο Seven primary colors
Answer: Answer: Five continents of the world
The rings on the Olympic Games flag represent the five continents (Africa, America, Asia, Australia and Europe) of the world. North and South America are considered as one continent, and Antartica is not included. The colors of the five rings are blue, black, red, yellow and green.

16. At what frequency are the Olympic Games held?
Ο every 3 years
Ο every 4 years
Ο every 5 years
Ο every 6 years
Answer: Answer: every 4 years
The Summer Olympic Games have been held every 4 years starting 1896, the exception being 1916, 1940 and 1944 when the games were cancelled due to World Wars.

17. Which country’s team always marches last in the March Past at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics? Ο host country
Ο Greece
Ο USA
Ο France
Answer: Answer: host country
Greece is always first and the hosting nation is always last in the Parade of Nations (i.e., the March Past order) at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics.

19. When was the first time the Olympic Games moved to Asia? Ο 1964
Ο 1976
Ο 1988
Ο 1992
Answer: Answer: 1964
The Olympic Games moved to Asia for the first time in 1964. At Tokyo, Japan, the torch was lit by Yoshinori Sakai who was born in Hiroshima only an hour before the atomic explosion took place in 1945.

21. Which country has won the maximum number of gold medals since the inception of the Olympic Games? Ο USA
Ο Australia
Ο Japan
Ο France
Answer: Answer: USA
The USA has won 895 gold medals from the inception of the Olympic Games till the start of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

22. Which new game was introduced at the 2000 Sydney Olympics? Ο Triathlon
Ο Decathlon
Ο Pentathlon
Ο Hockey
Answer: Answer: Triathlon
The Triathlon is an Olympic event containing three sports.

24. What object did the archers hit during the competition before the target board was introduced? Ο A bird
Ο A fish
Ο A ball
Ο A cylinder
Answer: Answer: A bird
A fixed large bird, a fixed small bird and a moving bird were used as targets in archery at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics.

25. Which American diver won a double gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympics in spite of hitting his head on the 3-m springboard? Ο Greg Louganis
Ο Mark Spitz
Ο Dawn Fraser
Ο Pierre de Coubertin
Answer: Answer: Greg Louganis
Greg Louganis won gold medals in both the 3-m springboard and 10-m platform diving events at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics as well as the 1988 Seoul Olympics. During the preliminary rounds in Seoul, he suffered a concussion due to hitting his head on the 3-m springboard.

27. Which is the ‘Black September Day’ in Olympic history?
Ο September 1, 1972
Ο September 5, 1972
Ο September 1, 1984
Ο September 5, 1984
Answer: Answer: September 5, 1972
On September 5, 1972 at the Munich Olympics, the Palestinian terrorists invaded Israeli quarters in the Olympic village killing two players and
taking many others hostage. Eleven more Israeli players were killed in a crossfire between the German police and the Palestinians belonging to the Black September group. Even though several countries demanded the immediate closure of the Games, the Olympics continued.

28. Who duplicated Jesse Owens’ 1936 feat by winning four golds in track and field in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics? Ο Carl Lewis
Ο Edwin Moses
Ο Derek Redmond
Ο Wilma Rudolph
Answer: Answer: Carl Lewis
Frederick Carlton “Carl” Lewis, the American track and field athlete, has won 10 Olympic medals (9 gold medals and 1 silver medal). He achieved great fame by winning four gold medals (one each in 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and as a member of the 4 x 100 meter relay team) at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. He also won two gold medals (one each in 100 meters and long jump) at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, two gold medals (one each in long jump and as a member of the 4 x 100 meter relay team) at the 1992 Barelona Olympics, and one gold medal (in long jump) at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

30. Which character designs are incorporated in the five ‘good luck dolls’ that are the mascots of the 2008 Beijing Olympics? Ο Fish, Giant Panda, Fire, Tibetan Antelope and Swallow
Ο Hedgehog, Kangaroo, Earth, Indian Elephant and Eagle
Ο Beaver, Koala, Water, American Eagle and a Duck
Ο Porcupine, Crocodile, Wind, Chinese Dragon and a Hawk
Answer: Answer: Fish, Giant Panda, Fire, Tibetan Antelope and Swallow The mascots of the 2008 Beijing Olympics are the five Fuwa or ‘good luck dolls.’ Each Fuwa has a primary color (blue, black, red, yellow and green) corresponding to one of the colors of the five Olympic Rings. The five Fuwa incorporate the Fish, Giant Panda, Fire, Tibetan Antelope, and Swallow designs. Their names are Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, and Nini. The first syllable of their names reads ‘Beijing huangying ni,’ meaning ‘Beijing welcomes you.”

31. In which city were the Olympics in 2004 held?
Ο Athens
Ο Los Angeles
Ο Mexico City
Ο Tokyo
Answer: Answer: Athens
The 2004 Olympics were held in Athens, Greece.
. Who is known as the Father of Modern Olympics?
Ο Pierre de Coubertin
Ο Demetrius Vikelas
Ο Henri de Baillet-Latour
Ο Avery Brundage
Answer: Answer: Pierre de Coubertin
Pierre de Fredy, Baron de Coubertin (commonly referred to as Baron Pierre de Coubertin) was a rich Frenchman. He is deservedly known as the Father of Modern Olympics because his vision founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which led to the staging of the first Modern Olympics in 1896 at Athens, Greece.

2. Where in Greece is the Olympic Flame lit as per tradition? Ο Olympia
Ο Athens
Ο Marathonas
Ο Thessaloniki
Answer: Answer: Olympia
The Olympic Flame (or Olympic Torch), a symbol of the Olympic Games, is lit in Olympia, Greece as per tradition and is then transported to the Olympic host city by a relay system.

4. What is typically handed over by the host city to the next organizing city at the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games? Ο Olympic flag
Ο Olympic flame
Ο Olympic mascots
Ο Olympic medals
Answer: Answer: Olympic flag
At the end of each edition of the Olympic Games, the mayor of the host city
passes the Olympic flag to the mayor of the next host city.

5. Which city was the first to host the Summer Olympics twice? Ο Paris
Ο Athens
Ο London
Ο Berlin
Answer: Answer: Paris
Paris was the first city to host the Summer Olympic Games twice. The II Olympiad (from 14 May to 28 October 1900) and the VIII Olympiad (from 4 May to 27 July 1924) were held at Paris in France.

7. Who won the gold medal for cricket, when it was last played at the 1900 Paris Olympic Games? Ο Great Britain
Ο France
Ο Belgium
Ο Holland
Answer: Answer: Great Britain
At the 1900 Paris Olympics, four teams (Great Britain, France, Belgium, and Holland) were supposed to compete in cricket. Since Belgium and Holland withdrew, only Great Britain played against France in a two-day game. The Great Britain team which won was awarded silver medals and the French team bronze medals. Gold and silver medals were retroactively assigned to Britain and France, respectively, by the International Olympic Committee.

8. In which events did the versatile American sportsman Jim Thorpe win two gold medals at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics? Ο Pentathlon and Decathlon
Ο Baseball and Basketball
Ο Handball and Volleyball
Ο Rowing and Yachting
Answer: Answer: Pentathlon and Decathlon
Jacobus Franciscus “Jim” Thorpe was a versatile American athlete who won two gold medals in the Pentathlon and Decathlon at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. He was divested of his medals for violating amateur status rules while playing minor league baseball. His medals were restored in 1983, only 30 years after his death.

10. What is the serial number of the Summer Olympics that were to be held in Berlin (Germany), but were cancelled due to World War I? Ο IV
Ο V
Ο VI
Ο VII
Answer: Answer: VI
The VI Olympiad (Summer Olympic Games) was to be held at Berlin, Germany in 1916, but was cancelled due to World War I.

11. In which years were the Summer Olympics cancelled due to World War II? Ο 1932 and 1936
Ο 1940 and 1944
Ο 1948 and 1952
Ο 1956 and 1960
Answer: Answer: 1940 and 1944
The XII Olympiad (to be held at Tokyo, Japan in 1940) and the XIII Olympiad (to be held at London, United Kingdom in 1944) were the two Summer Olympic Games cancelled due to World War II.

13. Name the tennis player whose father represented Iran twice in Olympic boxing. Ο Andre Agassi
Ο Goran Ivanisevic
Ο Maria Sharapova
Ο Martina Navratilova
Answer: Answer: Andre Agassi
Mike Agassi (born Emmanuel Aghassian in 1930) was a member of the Iranian Olympic Boxing squad in the 1948 London Olympics and the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. He is the father of the tennis star, Andre Agassi.

14. At the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, which famous American track and field athlete won four gold medals? Ο Jesse Owens
Ο Ralph Metcalfe
Ο Carl Lewis
Ο Michael Johnson
Answer: Answer: Jesse Owens
James Cleveland “Jesse” Owens, the American track and field athlete, achieved great fame by winning four gold medals (one each in 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and as a member of the 4 x 100 meter relay team) at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

16. In which event did the Australian legend Ric Charlesworth win a silver medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympics? Ο Field Hockey
Ο Tennis
Ο Pole Vault
Ο Archery
Answer: Answer: Field Hockey
Dr. Richard (“Ric” or “Rick”) Ian Charlesworth represented Australia in field hockey at four Olympic Games (1972 Munich Olympics, 1976 Montreal Olympics, 1984 Los Angeles Olympics as captain, and 1988 Seoul Olympics).

17. Which was the chief venue for the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow? Ο Luzhniki Stadium
Ο White City Stadium
Ο Panathinaiko Stadium
Ο Vélodrome de Vincennes
Answer: Answer: Luzhniki Stadium
The Luzhniki Stadium or the Grand Sports Arena of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex (previously called the Central Lenin Stadium) in Moscow (Soviet Union) was the main venue for the 1980 Summer Olympic Games. The opening and closing ceremonies as well as the athletics, football finals, and individual jumping grand prix events took place in the stadium.

19. Who holds the record for the most medals (of any type) at a single celebration of the Olympic Games? Ο Michael Phelps (twice) & Alexander Dityatin (once)
Ο Larissa Latynina
Ο Mark Spitz
Ο Paavo Nurmi
Answer: Answer: Michael Phelps (twice) & Alexander Dityatin (once)
Alexander Nikolaievich Dityatin, the great Russian gymnast, won eight medals (3 gold medals, 4 silver medals and 1 bronze medal) at the 1980 Moscow Olympics to set an Olympic record for the most medals at one Olympic Games. Michael Fred Phelps, the great American swimmer, won eight medals twice (6 gold medals and 2 bronze medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and 8 gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics) to equal Dityatin’s record for the most medals at one Olympic Games.

21. At the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, which Korean martial art was introduced as a demonstration sport? Ο Taekwondo
Ο Kumdo
Ο Iaido
Ο Hapkido
Answer: Answer: Taekwondo
Taekwondo (or Tae Kwon Do) is the Korean martial art most popular for its dynamic kicks. It was introduced as an exhibition sport at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and twelve years later was contested as an official sport at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

22. At the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, who won the women’s 100-meters gold medal despite having been diagnosed with Graves’ disease in 1990? Ο Gail Devers
Ο Juliet Cuthbert
Ο Voula Patoulidou
Ο Merlene Ottey
Answer: Answer: Gail Devers
Yolanda Gail Devers won the gold medal twice in athletics for the US Olympic team. Although she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease in 1990, she responded rapidly to radiation therapy. The US athlete was the women’s 100-meters champion at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

24. Which stadium features on the medals awarded at the 2008 Beijing Olympics? Ο Panathinaiko Stadium
Ο Vélodrome de Vincennes
Ο White City Stadium
Ο Stockholms Olympiastadion
Answer: Answer: Panathinaiko Stadium
The Panathinaiko Stadium was the venue for the first modern Summer Olympics in 1896 at Athens and is the only major stadium in the world to be built totally of white marble. The ancient Panathinaiko Stadium features on the medals awarded at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

25. Which two modern sports were blended in the ancient Pankration, a sport introduced in the Greek Olympic Games in 648 B.C.? Ο Boxing and Wrestling
Ο Sailing and Rowing
Ο Pole Vault and Triple Jump
Ο Archery and Equestrian
Answer: Answer: Boxing and Wrestling
The ancient Pankration (literally meaning ‘all powers’) or Pancratium, a martial arts sport introduced in the Greek Olympic Games in 648 B.C., was based on a combination of boxing and wrestling.