ORIGINS & ANCIENT GAMES
According to legend, this son of Zeus founded the ancient Olympics.
Who is Heracles?
The last year solid gold medals were awarded.
What is 1912?
The exact marathon distance in kilometers.
What is 42.195 km?
In this 1904 event, athletes dove and glided without any strokes.
What is "Plunge for Distance"?
This Russian wrestler won the 11-hour match but was too exhausted for the final — and got silver.
Who is Martin Klein?
The first recorded ancient Games took place in this year BC.
What is 776 BC?
Today, a "gold" medal must contain at least this percentage of silver.
What is 92.5%?
The marathon distance was changed for this king in 1908.
Who is King Edward VII?
This event was absurd because athletes had to stay in sync with themselves.
What is solo synchronized swimming?
These two Japanese pole vaulters cut their medals in half and welded them together in 1936.
Who are Shuhei Nishida and Sueo Oe?
Ancient athletes competed in this unusual state of dress.
What is completely naked?
After this war, gold prices soared and pure gold medals became unaffordable.
What is World War I?
The 1908 organizers added this many extra yards so the king could see the finish.
What is 385 yards?
This sport was official from 1900 to 1920, and Britain was accused of wearing heavy police boots in 1908.
What is tug-of-war?
This Finnish wrestler grappled for over 11 hours in 1912 but had to settle for silver.
Who is Alfred Asikainen?
This Roman emperor abolished the Olympics in 393 AD as a "pagan influence."
Who is Theodosius I?
The three Games that awarded real solid gold medals.
What are 1904, 1908, and 1912?
This Japanese gymnast broke his kneecap in 1976 but still stuck the rings landing.
Who is Shun Fujimoto?
The 1900 Paris Olympics included a shooting event targeting these live creatures — over 300 were killed.
What are pigeons?
Two Japanese pole vaulters cut their medals in half and welded them together — creating this combined medal.
What is a "silver-bronze" medal?
Married women faced this penalty for merely watching the ancient Games.
What is death?
The 2024 Paris medals contain chunks of iron from this landmark.
What is the Eiffel Tower?
Japan won team gold by this tiny margin after Fujimoto's sacrifice.
What is 0.4 points?
The "Plunge for Distance" champion glided this far.
What is 19 meters?
The first Olympics co-hosted by two cities.
What is the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics?