By Paula Green

The Olympic Games are an international, multi-sport event that originated in ancient Greece.  The Games were a direct outgrowth of the values and beliefs of Greek society.  This particular civilization idealized physical fitness and mental discipline.

When the games were first held is uncertain, but according to legend, the Olympics were founded by Heracles (the Roman Hercules), a son of Zeus.  The first Olympic Games for which we still have written records were held in 776 B.C.  It had only one event, the one-stade (approximately 192-meters or 210 yards) race, which was won by a cook named Coroebus.  This was the start of the first Olympiad, the four-year period by which the Greeks recorded their history.

Many years later, the International Olympic Committee was founded in 1894 on the initiative of a French nobleman, Pierre Fredy, Baron de Coubertin.  The first of the IOC’s Olympic Games were the 1896 Summer Olympics, held in Athens, Greece.  Participation in the Olympic Games has increased to include athletes from nearly all the world’s nations.

Today, the Olympic Games are subdivided into summer and winter sporting events.  The summer and winter games are each held every four years.  Until 1992, they were both held in the same year.  Since then, they have been staggered so that every two years either the summer or winter games alternately occurs.

The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially called the games of the XXIX Olympiad, will be celebrated from August 8 to 24, with the opening ceremony beginning at 08:08:08 p.m., CST at the Beijing National Stadium in Beijing, People’s Republic of China.
Organizers for the 2008 Summer Olympics expect approximately 10,500 athletes to take part in the 302 scheduled events in 28 sports.  Competitors are entered by a National Olympic Committee (NOC) to represent their country of citizenship.  National anthems and flags accompany the medal ceremonies.  Gold medals are awarded for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition which started in 1904.

Since we volleyed our way through some Olympic triumphs, we must wrestle a few challenging questions.  So be a good sport, because it is time to get a little trivial...

1. How many times has the United States hosted the Summer Olympics games?

2. This sport might be “pinned” as popular, but it has never been featured as an Olympic event.

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

4. In 1956, this city was the first to host the Summer Olympic Games in the southern hemisphere.

5. The Olympic flag contains five interlocking colors: red, yellow, green, blue and _____?

6. Which Summer Olympics introduced the tradition of the torch relay?

7. This United States athlete won a record seven gold medals in 1972 Summer Olympics.

8. This United States track & field athlete won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

9. From 1984-1996 Summer Olympics this athlete won ten Olympic medals, nine gold and one silver.
10.      The United States “Dream Team” men’s basketball team made its first appearance in which Summer Olympics?

11. In 1996, this former Olympian lit the Olympic torch at the Summer Games in Atlanta.

12. In the 2008 Summer Olympics, women will compete in this 3,000 meter event for the first time.

13. What is this the slogan for the 2008 Summer Olympics?

14. In 2010, Singapore will be the first city to host what event?

15. Which country is slated to host the 2012 Summer Olympics?

Sources:

http://history1900s.about.com/library/weekly/aa081000a.htm

http://teacher.schoalstic.com/activities/athen_games/history.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Games

http://www.funtrivia.com

Answers:

1. Four (1904, 1932, 1984 & 1996)  2. Bowling  3.  Swim the English Channel  4.  Melbourne  5.  black  6. 1936 (Berlin)  7.  Mark Spitz   8.  Jesse Owens  9.  Carl Lewis  10.  1992 (Barcelona)  11.  Muhammad Ali  12.  steeplechase 13. One World, One Dream  14.  The Youth Olympic Games  15.  London

Back to top