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Olympic Games Quiz: The Summer Olympics | 10 Questions

Back before the days of ESPN and round the clock sports and millionaire athletes, the summer Olympics was a very special event. I've come up with a few questions based on my Olympic memories and some stories I've read over the years.

A multiple-choice quiz by markr_1. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
markr_1

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
217,952

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
699

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Some runners have won the men's marathon in consecutive Olympics. The first was Abebe Bikila in 1960 and 1964. Who was the second? Hint

Frank Shorter

Waldemar Cierpinski

Bill Rodgers

Lasse Viren

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Question 2 of 10

2. Jessie Owens won one of his four gold medals in the long jump. However, Owens almost didn't qualify for the event final. Some pointers from one of his main rivals helped Owens to qualify and then go on to the gold medal. Who was this athlete? Hint

Bob Beamon

Harrison Dillard

Ralph Boston

Luz Long

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Question 3 of 10

3. In the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, Tommie Smith and John Carlos made their infamous "black power salute". For which event had they just received their medals? Hint

100-meter run

200-meter run

Long jump

400-meter run

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Question 4 of 10

4. Swimmer Rick DeMont was stripped of his gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle when he flunked the post race drug test. For what drug did he test positive? Hint

Marijuana

Ephedrine

Steroids

Human growth hormone

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Question 5 of 10

5. Which of these sports has never been an Olympic event? Hint

Bowling

Golf

Tug of war

Lacrosse

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Question 6 of 10

6. In 1924, Gertrude Ederle won the 100-meter freestyle. Two years later, she was the first woman to do what? Hint

Swim the length of the Mississippi River

Run the Boston Marathon

Climb Mt. Everest

Swim the English Channel

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which nation(s) boycotted the 1976 Montreal Games? Hint

China

U.S.S.R.

African nations

United States

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Question 8 of 10

8. The United States "Dream Team" men's basketball team made its first appearance in which Olympics? Hint

Los Angeles - 1984

Seoul - 1988

Barcelona - 1992

Atlanta - 1996

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Question 9 of 10

9. A movie once centered on the efforts of two British runners to compete at the 1924 Olympic games in Paris. In an early scene in the movie, Harold Abrahams runs around the Great Court at Trinity College, Cambridge, in record time. In reality, only two men have ever completed the run in record time. The first was Lord Burghley in 1927. Which Olympic middle distance champion was the second in 1988? Hint

Steve Ovett

Steve Prefontaine

Steve Cram

Sebastian Coe

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Question 10 of 10

10. Teofilo Stevenson won three boxing gold medals in the heavyweight division. What was the name of the "great white hope" that he defeated for his gold medal in the 1972 games? Hint

Duane Bobick

Chuck Wepner

Jerry Quarry

Gerry Cooney

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Some runners have won the men's marathon in consecutive Olympics. The first was Abebe Bikila in 1960 and 1964. Who was the second?

Answer: Waldemar Cierpinski

Bikila ran barefoot during his Rome win in 1960. Cierpinski's wins came in 1976 and 1980. His victory in Munich in 1972 prevented Frank Shorter from achieving back to back marathon wins. Shorter had to settle for the silver medal.

Answer: Luz Long

Adolf Hitler would not have been happy had he been aware of Long's assistance (Luz Long was a member of the German team). Long went on to win the silver medal. Beamon was the gold medalist in the long jump in 1968, and Boston was the gold medalist in the same event in 1960, the silver medalist in 1964, and the bronze medalist in 1968. Dillard won two gold medals in the 1948 London games, one in the 100 meters and the other in the 4 x 100 relay.

3. In the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, Tommie Smith and John Carlos made their infamous "black power salute". For which event had they just received their medals?

Answer: 200-meter run

Smith won the gold and Carlos the silver. Both men had agreed to bring a pair of black gloves for the protest. However, Carlos forgot to bring his pair. Smith had to lend him one of his gloves. That is why each man is raising a different arm.

4. Swimmer Rick DeMont was stripped of his gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle when he flunked the post race drug test. For what drug did he test positive?

Answer: Ephedrine

DeMont was an asthmatic. He had informed the USOC of his condition and the fact that he was taking ephedrine. Unfortunately, the USOC dropped the ball when it failed to file the necessary paperwork with the IOC which would have allowed DeMont to compete with this medication in his system.

In 2001, the USOC issued a press release admitting their mistake. The IOC has yet to return DeMont's gold medal. Note, it took the IOC 71 years to return Jim Thorpes medals to his estate.

5. Which of these sports has never been an Olympic event?

Answer: Bowling

Bowling was turned down, as were many other sports for inclusion in the 2012 London Olympics. Tug of war has been an Olympic event in five Olympiads, most recently in 1920. Golf was on the Olympic agenda in 1900 and 1904. Lacrosse was a medal sport in 1904 and 1908.

6. In 1924, Gertrude Ederle won the 100-meter freestyle. Two years later, she was the first woman to do what?

Answer: Swim the English Channel

Ederle swam the Channel in a time that was almost two hours faster than the existing record.

7. Which nation(s) boycotted the 1976 Montreal Games?

Answer: African nations

The African nations boycotted protested because the New Zealand rugby team had toured apartheid South Africa and New Zealand was competing in the Montreal Games. Rugby was not even an Olympic event that year.

8. The United States "Dream Team" men's basketball team made its first appearance in which Olympics?

Answer: Barcelona - 1992

Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, etc, took Barcelona by storm in 1992. They defeated Croatia in the gold medal game 117-85.

Answer: Sebastian Coe

Sebastian Coe, the 1980 and 1984 gold medalist in the 1500-meter run, defeated Steve Cram, the 1984 siver medalist in the 1500 meters in a charity event.

10. Teofilo Stevenson won three boxing gold medals in the heavyweight division. What was the name of the "great white hope" that he defeated for his gold medal in the 1972 games?

Answer: Duane Bobick

Stevenson, a Cuban, also won three World Amateur Boxing titles. Bobick went on to an undistinguished professional career.

Source: Author markr_1

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
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