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Olympic Swimming Trivia Quiz

To all those enthusiastic swimming buffs out there who love trivia.

A multiple-choice quiz by zambesi. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
zambesi

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
337,768

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
311

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Prior to the 1968 Olympics, Mark Spitz held the World record for the 100m Butterfly and had beaten the eventual winner of this Olympic event 10 times in that year. Who beat Mark for gold in the 1968 Olympics in the 100m Butterfly? Hint

Don Schollander (USA)

Doug Russell (USA)

Kevin Berry (AUS)

Mike Wenden (AUS)

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Question 2 of 10

2. Murray Rose won gold in the 1500m Freestyle in 1956 and silver in 1960. Two months before the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, he broke the world record for this same event. Why did he not compete in the Tokyo Olympics? Hint

He missed the flight to Tokyo

In 1964 he was an actor in 2 movies ("Ice Station Zebra" and "Ride the Wild Surf")

He was ill and could not compete

He did not compete in the Australia National Championships in 1964

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Question 3 of 10

3. In the 1972 Olympics in the 400m Individual Medley, it was actually shown on the scoreboard that there was a tie for the gold. It transpired on closer examination that Tim McKee was beaten for the gold by 0.002 second. Who won gold? Hint

Mark Spitz (USA)

Andras Hargitay (HUN)

Rod Strachan (USA)

Gunnar Larsson (Swe)

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Question 4 of 10

4. I was the first Australian to have won gold after finishing 2nd in an Olympic swimming event, as the winner was disqualified after much controversy. Who am I? Hint

Brad Cooper (AUS)

Jon Konrads (AUS)

Murray Rose (AUS)

Jon Henricks (AUS)

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Question 5 of 10

5. There was controversy in the final of the 100m Freestyle at the 1960 Rome Olympics. Who were the swimmers involved for the gold and silver medals? Hint

Henricks (AUS) / Devitt (AUS)

Devitt (AUS) / Larson (USA)

Konrads (AUS) / Breen (USA)

Henricks (AUS) / Larson (USA)

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Question 6 of 10

6. Mark Spitz was the "King of the Pool" in Munich with 7 gold medals. Who was crowned the "Queen of the Pool" in 1972? Hint

Keena Rothhammer (USA)

Shirley Babashoff (USA)

Shane Gould (AUS)

Janette Neilson (USA)

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Question 7 of 10

7. In 1952, Yoshinoba Oyakawa won gold in the 100m Backstroke. Which country did he represent? Hint

USA

Korea

Japan

Malaysia

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Question 8 of 10

8. David Theile (AUS) won gold in the 100m Backstroke in 1956 and 1960, and Roland Matthes (GER) won the same event in 1968 and 1972. Who won gold in this event in 1964? Hint

David Theile (AUS)

It was not on the Olympic program

Bengt Baron (SWE)

Roland Matthes (GER)

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Question 9 of 10

9. My name is Anthony Nesty and I was the first person to win an Olympic swimming medal for my country. Which country did I represent? Hint

Denmark

Poland

Mexico

Suriname

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Question 10 of 10

10. By achieving gold in 2008 he became the first African male swimmer to win an Olympic Gold Medal in an individual event. Who was he? Hint

Oussama Mellouli (TUN)

Darian Townsend (RSA)

Roland Schoeman (RSA)

Ryk Neethling (RSA)

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Doug Russell (USA)

Doug Russell also went on to win gold in the 4 x 100m Medley Relay. Don Schollander was a 5-time gold medalist over 2 Olympics. Kevin Berry won gold in the 200m Butterfly in Tokyo, and Mike Wenden won gold in the 100m and 200m freestyle in 1968.

Answer: He did not compete in the Australia National Championships in 1964

Because of the absurdity of officialdom in those days, he was not included in the Australian team for Tokyo because he did not compete in the Australian National Championships in early 1964. At the time, Murray was living in the USA and did actually appear in those 2 movies. Ironically, in "Ice Station Zebra", the person he was portraying was scripted to drown.

Answer: Gunnar Larsson (Swe)

Rod Strachan actually won this same event in 1976 and Andras Hargitay won the bronze behind McKee in this event.

4. I was the first Australian to have won gold after finishing 2nd in an Olympic swimming event, as the winner was disqualified after much controversy. Who am I?

Answer: Brad Cooper (AUS)

Brad Cooper finished 2nd to Rick DeMont(USA)in the 400m Freestyle in 1972. After the medal presentation, DeMont was disqualified by the IOC for taking a banned substance. DeMont had actually informed the USOC prior to the games that he was taking the drug because of his asthma. The USOC failed to notify the IOC before the Munich Olympics started.
Rose, Konrads, and Henricks were all Olympic gold medalists.

5. There was controversy in the final of the 100m Freestyle at the 1960 Rome Olympics. Who were the swimmers involved for the gold and silver medals?

Answer: Devitt (AUS) / Larson (USA)

Henricks won gold in the 100m Freestyle and Breen won bronze in the 1500m Freestyle in 1956 and 1960. Devitt and Larson were involved in a split decision between the time-keepers and 1st and 2nd place judges. Some gave the gold to Devitt and others gave the gold to Larson. However, the Chief Judge(Hans Runstrummer-GER) overruled with his deciding vote going to Devitt.

6. Mark Spitz was the "King of the Pool" in Munich with 7 gold medals. Who was crowned the "Queen of the Pool" in 1972?

Answer: Shane Gould (AUS)

Shane Gould won 3 gold (all individual events) and a silver and bronze at these Olympics. After the Olympics, she retired at the ripe old age of 16.
Neilson also won 3 golds however, 2 of these in relays. Babashoff and Rothhammer were also gold medal winners.

7. In 1952, Yoshinoba Oyakawa won gold in the 100m Backstroke. Which country did he represent?

Answer: USA

Yoshinoba was born in Hawaii in 1933 and was considered to be the last of the great "Straight-arm-pull" backstrokers.

8. David Theile (AUS) won gold in the 100m Backstroke in 1956 and 1960, and Roland Matthes (GER) won the same event in 1968 and 1972. Who won gold in this event in 1964?

Answer: It was not on the Olympic program

David Theile actually retired from swimming in 1958 and then made a comeback to defend his title in 1960. Roland Matthes also won the 200m Backstroke in 1968 and 1972. Bengt Baron won this event in Moscow in 1980.

9. My name is Anthony Nesty and I was the first person to win an Olympic swimming medal for my country. Which country did I represent?

Answer: Suriname

Anthony Nesty was born in Trinidad and Tobago, however, his parents immigrated to Suriname when Anthony was very small. He won gold in the 100m Butterfly in 1988. It is understood that the IOC had trouble finding the National Anthem of Suriname for the medal presentation.

10. By achieving gold in 2008 he became the first African male swimmer to win an Olympic Gold Medal in an individual event. Who was he?

Answer: Oussama Mellouli (TUN)

Mellouli won gold in the 1500m Freestyle beating Grant Hackett (AUS) winner of this event in 2000 and 2004. Schoeman, Townsend, Neethling together with Lyndon Ferns won gold in the 4x100m Freestyle in 2004.

Source: Author zambesi

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