Since I’m sure you all have been on pins and needles waiting for the answers, here you go.
v Name 5 Summer Olympic Sports. Archery, Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Boxing, Canoe/Kayak, Cycling, Diving, Equestrian, Fencing, Field Hockey, Gymnastics, Handball, Judo, Modern Pentathalon, Rythmic Gymnasics, Rowing, Sailing, Shooting, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Syncronized Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Track and Field, Trampoline, Triathlon, Volleyball, Water Polo, Weightlifting, and Wrestling
v How many Gold medals has the US won (before the start of the 2008 olympics)? 897 (933 after this summer’s games)
v Name 3 Countries that have NEVER won a gold medal. Mongolia, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Bohemia, Lebanon, Namibia, Moldova, Iceland, Tanzania, Ghana, Malaysia, Haiti, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, United Arab Republic, Zambia, Antilles, Panama, Qatar, Cote d’lvoire, Netherlands Antilles, Paraguay, Senegal, Tonga, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Barbados, Bermuda, Djibouti, Guyana, Iraq, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Niger.
v How many TOTAL medals have been awarded to all countries (before 2008 Olympics)? 12,816
v Where are the summer games being held this year? Beijing, China
v The Summer Olympics are every 4 years. This year is 2008, so when will the next one be held? 2012
v What group is in charge of the Olympic Games? International Olympic Committee (IOC)
v When and where did the modern Olympic Games begin? Athens, Greece in the summer of 1896
v Name 2 US cities that have hosted the Olympics (Summer or Winter). St. Louis (Summer 1904), Los Angeles (Summers of 1932 and 1984), Atlanta (Summer 1996), Lake Placid (Winters of 1932 and 1980), and Salt Lake City (Winter 2002)
v Where will the next Olympic Games take place? Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Winter 2010), London (Summer 2012)
v There are other Games that go with the Olympics, for those who can’t compete in the regular Olympics because they are too young or have a physical disability. What are these two games called? Youth Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. (The Special Olympics are for the mentally handicap.)
v Where did the Ancient Olympic Games take place? Olympia (in Greece)
v What awards did the winner of a sport receive immediately after winning, in the Ancient Olympics? The olive branch crown was the official award, but they received something else immediately after winning. Directly after winning their sport, the winner had a palm branch placed in his hands, and red ribbons were tied on his head and hands as a sign of victory. Spectators also cheered and threw flowers.
v What were the years that Ancient Olympics took place? No exact date is known on the beginning, but it is thought to be 776 BC. The games ended in 393 AD when it was ordered that the “pagan traditions” be ended.
v When did the marathon become part of the Olympic Games? Contrary to popular belief, the marathon was not part of the ancient Olympics. It became part of the Olympic Games in the Summer of 1896 in Athens, Greece.
One more bonus question: In the Ancient Olympics, only men were allowed. What would they do to a woman who was found in attendence?
