MORE THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT THE OLYMPICS
Added on: 7th Jan 2015
OLYMPICALLY DEPRIVED
Africa, South America, and Antarctica are the only continents
where the Olympics have never been held although that will
change in 2016 when Rio de Janeiro hosts the summer Olympics.
SILVER WAS NUMBER ONE
At the first Olympics in 1896 the winners were crowned with silver.
It was only later that the gold medals was introduced.
GOING THE EXTRA MILE
Originally 25.85 miles long, the marathon was extended to
26 miles and 385 yards at the 1908 Olympics in London where
the race began at Windsor Castle and ended in front of the
Royal Box in the stadium. Legend has it that the race was extended
so that the Royal Family could watch both the start and the finish.
SPRINTING PAST THE SPEEDLIMIT
Olympic sprinters can reach speeds of up to 30 mph…that’s
breaking the speed limit in some neighbourhoods!
THE OLDEST OLYMPIAN
The oldest Olympian ever was Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn who
won gold when he was 60 years old in the 1908 Olympics. In the 1920
Olympic games in Antwerp he participated again and was crowned
oldest Olympian at age 72.
LOGO MADNESS
The logo for the 2012 London Olympics cost £400,000, which is
apparently the same price it would cost to adopt a panda in China
for 365 years.
KICKING THINGS OFF WITH A BANG
The 1896, 1900, and 1904 Olympic Games all failed to catch fire,
but in 1906 when the interim games were held the world all of a
sudden paid attention. This was the first modern Olympics to
include all of the theatrical aspects.
BARRIERS TO ENTRY
In order for a sport to be included in the Olympics it must be
practiced by men in 75 countries on at least 4 continents and by
women in 40 countries on at least 3 continents.
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