Go for Gold: The Olympics Quiz

By: Alia Hoyt
Estimated Completion Time
1 min
Go for Gold: The Olympics Quiz
Image: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Every two years, pandemic notwithstanding, the world's elite athletes gather to take their shot at the ultimate prize: the Olympic gold medal. How much do you know about this storied event?
Which Olympic Games holds the record for most attendees?
1996 in Atlanta
The "Centennial Olympics," as it's often known, sold the most tickets of any other one to date, at 8.3 million. The 2008 Olympics in Beijing hold a distant second-place with 6.8 million.
2008 in Beijing
2016 in Rio de Janeiro

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Why did the 1936 Berlin Games make history?
It was the first to allow Black athletes.
There was an assassination attempt on Hitler.
It was the first to be televised.
Athletes in the Olympic Village, as well as locals in certain viewing rooms, were treated to the first ever broadcast of the Games. This was done in black and white.

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How many dead birds helped Leon de Lunden of Belgium score the gold medal at the 1900 Paris Olympics for the live pigeon shoot event?
18
21
1900 was the last time this event was held as part of the Games. The silver medalist downed 20 pigeons, and two people tied for bronze with 18 apiece. RIP pigeons.
32

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What is the age of the oldest female Olympic gymnast ever to compete?
34
41
46
Oksana Chusovitina of Uzbekistan has competed in an incredible eight Olympic Games over the years, starting in 1992. She says Tokyo will be her last.

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Continuing with the age theme, how old was the oldest person to ever compete in the Olympics?
65
72
Sweden’s Oscar Swahn won a silver medal in shooting at the ripe old age of 72 in the 1920 Olympics. He's also the oldest person to medal at the games.
88

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Many games have been boycotted for various reasons. Which of these Olympics was subject to a boycott by some countries?
Moscow (1980)
Los Angeles (1984)
Montreal (1976)
all of the above
The 1980 Games were boycotted by the U.S. and others to protest Russia's invasion of Afghanistan. In retaliation, the Soviet Union and its allies boycotted the 1984 Games, though the official reason was lack of security for its athletes. Many African countries boycotted the Montreal Games after the IOC let the New Zealand rugby team participate although it had played in South Africa, a pariah at the time because of its apartheid policies.

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Who clubbed Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan in the knee?
Tonya Harding
Harding's ex-husband
a hit man
Harding's ex and her bodyguard hired an actual hitman, Shane Stant, to injure Kerrigan in the hopes that Harding would have a clear shot at qualifying for the 1994 Olympics.

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Which of these Olympians has the most gold medals of all time?
Larisa Latynina
Michael Phelps
Swimming star Phelps has 23 gold medals, way ahead of closest rival Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina who has nine. Phelps has a total of 28 medals, making him the most decorated Olympian in history.
Carl Lewis

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Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt ran the 100-meter dash in 9.58 seconds, currently the fastest time ever. What does that translate to in miles per hour?
15.2 mph
25 mph
27.7 mph
During his lengthy heyday, Bolt won the 100 and 200-meter dashes at three consecutive Olympics. He retired in 2017.

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Which Olympic-themed movie is the highest-grossing of all time?
"Blades of Glory"
The slapstick Will Ferrell/Jon Heder movie about male figure skaters grossed $146 million worldwide by the end of 2007.
"Cool Runnings"
"Unbroken"

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You Got:
/10
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images