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Records, Rings & Legends
The rules, records and moments the world actually watched.
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How often are the modern Summer Olympic Games normally held?
Olympic Feats and Firsts
The modern Games are barely older than the motor car, and have changed more than most people assume.
About this topic
The modern Olympics were revived in 1896 as a deliberately invented tradition, borrowing the name and some of the imagery of the ancient games while inventing most of the rest. The flame relay, the five rings, the Winter Games and the Paralympics all arrived later, and several of them are younger than living memory. These questions cover the ceremony, the records and the events that have entered and left the programme. Where a popular claim is shakier than it sounds, the explanation says so.
Questions & answers
Olympic Feats and Firsts: all 10 questions and answers
Every question in this quiz is listed below with its correct answer and the reasoning behind it. Play first if you would rather not see the answers — or read through as a study sheet.
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1Which city hosted the first Winter Olympics, in 1924?
- A Oslo
- B Chamonix Correct
- C St Moritz
- D Lake Placid
Answer: B. Chamonix
Why: The French event was billed as an international winter sports week and recognised as the first Winter Games afterwards.
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2Which word was added to the Olympic motto in 2021?
- A Together Correct
- B Braver
- C Further
- D Longer
Answer: A. Together
Why: It became "Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together". The original three words date from 1894.
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3Which swimmer has won the most Olympic gold medals?
- A Mark Spitz
- B Ian Thorpe
- C Caeleb Dressel
- D Michael Phelps Correct
Answer: D. Michael Phelps
Why: Phelps won 23 golds across four Games. Spitz had held the single-Games record with seven in 1972.
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4Where are the Paralympic Games held?
- A At the same time as the Olympics
- B In a different country the following year
- C In the same host city, shortly after the Olympics Correct
- D In Greece every four years
Answer: C. In the same host city, shortly after the Olympics
Why: The shared-host arrangement has applied since 1988. The name blends "parallel" with "Olympic".
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5Which Olympic event is run over 42.195 kilometres?
- A The 10,000 metres
- B The marathon Correct
- C The decathlon
- D The steeplechase
Answer: B. The marathon
Why: The exact distance was fixed at the 1908 London Games. The name refers to the Battle of Marathon.
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6In which sport did Jesse Owens win four gold medals in 1936?
- A Athletics Correct
- B Swimming
- C Boxing
- D Gymnastics
Answer: A. Athletics
Why: He won the 100m, 200m, long jump and sprint relay in Berlin.
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7Where is the Olympic flame lit before each Games?
- A The host city stadium
- B Lausanne in Switzerland
- C Athens
- D Olympia in Greece Correct
Answer: D. Olympia in Greece
Why: It is lit from the sun using a parabolic mirror at the ancient site, then carried by relay to the host.
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8How many events make up the decathlon?
- A Five
- B Twelve
- C Ten Correct
- D Seven
Answer: C. Ten
Why: They are contested over two days. The heptathlon, its closest equivalent, has seven.
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9Which pair of sports were dropped after 2008 and returned for the Tokyo Games?
- A Sailing and shooting
- B Baseball and softball Correct
- C Squash and karate
- D Rugby and golf
Answer: B. Baseball and softball
Why: Host nations may propose additional sports, and Japan chose to bring both back.
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10The Olympic rings are coloured blue, yellow, black, green and red on what background?
- A White Correct
- B Gold
- C Grey
- D Pale blue
Answer: A. White
Why: Pierre de Coubertin chose the six colours so that every national flag of the time contained at least one.
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