Summer Olympics: Being First May Not Mean Gold Quiz

Answer: Melbourne (1956)

It was at the Melbourne Olympics in 1956 that a letter from a 17 year old Australian schoolboy (John Ian Wing) suggested to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that athletes should enter the closing ceremony as one nation. His letter suggested that war, politics and nationalities should be forgotten. This tradition has generally been maintained ever since.

Answer: Rick DeMont (USA)

Rick DeMont was originally awarded the gold medal but a few days later he was disqualified due to taking the drug ephedrine, which at the time was illegal. Prior to the games he had informed the USA swimming authorities that he was taking the drug due to his asthmatic attacks, but they failed to inform the IOC. Brad Cooper was then awarded the gold medal, Steve Genter the silver and Tom McBreen the bronze medal.

Answer: Silver medal

The winners of each event received a silver medal, olive branch and a diploma. Gold medals were not introduced until St. Louis in 1904. The runners-up received a copper medal, laurel branch and a diploma. At these games no awards were given for third place.

Answer: Antwerp (1920)

The five interlocking rings on a white field represent the five continents, Africa, Asia, America, Europe and Oceania. The rings are blue, yellow, black, green and red. Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the co-founder of the modern Olympic movement, designed the flag in 1912. Due to WWI the flag was eventually flown for the first time at the 1920 games in Antwerp.

Answer: Berlin (1936)

In ancient times the flame was kept burning during the Games to commemorate the theft of the fire from the Greek god Zeus by Prometheus. The first lighting of the flame was carried out by an employee of the Electric Utility of Amsterdam in 1928. Eager to impress the world, the Nazi regime's propaganda machine introduced the relay by torch bearers at the Berlin Olympic Games in 1936.

Answer: Ben Johnson (Canada)

Ben Johnson won the gold medal in the men's 100m sprint but was disqualified three days later for testing positive for using the drug stanozolol. Carl Lewis (USA) was then upgraded from silver to the gold medal. Martti Vainio won silver in the 10,000 metres in Los Angeles (1984) but was disqualified after testing positive for metenolone. Hans-Gunnar Liljenwall was the first athlete in the modern Olympics to be disqualified for using performance-enhancing drugs at the 1968 Mexico Olympics. He had been awarded bronze in the modern pentathlon.

Answer: Rome (1960)

It was in Rome (1960) that medals were placed around the neck of the podium winners for the first time. The medal was attached to a chain, although since then ribbons have been more commonly used. Medals at previous Games were sometimes pinned on athletes or handed to them while on the podium.

Answer: London

London was the first city to be the host of three Olympics (1908, 1948 and 2012). The Games had also been given to London in 1944, but were cancelled due to WWII. London was also the first city to host the Paralympics in 1948, which was initiated mainly for wounded war veterans of WWII.

Answer: Tokyo (1964)

Tokyo (1964) was the first Games to be televised globally. Berlin (1936) was the first Games to be televised, however, the coverage was only available if you were in Germany. From 1936-1956, television coverage of the Games was limited to within the country of the host city.

Answer: Silver

The medals are made of 92.5% silver and must contain at least six grams of gold. The medals are required to be at least 60mm in diameter and 3mm thick. Bronze medals are made of bronze, which is an alloy of copper. Solid gold medals were awarded at the games in 1904, 1908 and 1912, however, they were smaller than the current medals.