Olympic Sports
Instructions: How well do you know the Olympic Games and their sports?
- 1.
In which ancient Greek city did the original Olympic Games originate?
AAthensBDelphiCSpartaDOlympia - 2.
How many rings are on the Olympic flag, and what do they represent?
A4 rings — the seasonsB7 rings — the days of the weekC5 rings — the continentsD6 rings — the original sports - 3.
Which country has won the most gold medals in the history of the Summer Olympics?
AGreat BritainBRussia/Soviet UnionCUnited StatesDChina - 4.
Which swimmer holds the record for the most Olympic gold medals ever won?
AMichael PhelpsBIan ThorpeCMark SpitzDRyan Lochte - 5.
In which year were the first modern Olympic Games held?
A1900B1904C1888D1896 - 6.
Which sport was added to the Olympics for the first time at the 2020 Tokyo Games?
AAll of the aboveBRock climbingCSurfingDSkateboarding - 7.
What is the longest running event in Olympic track and field?
AMarathonB50km Race WalkC3,000m SteeplechaseD10,000 meters - 8.
Which gymnast scored the first perfect 10 in Olympic history at the 1976 Montreal Games?
ANadia ComaneciBMary Lou RettonCLarisa LatyninaDOlga Korbut - 9.
Which sprinter holds the world record for the 100-meter dash, set at the 2009 World Championships?
AJustin GatlinBTyson GayCCarl LewisDUsain Bolt - 10.
In the Winter Olympics, what is the sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting?
ABiathlonBPentathlonCDecathlonDNordic Combined - 11.
Which city has hosted the Summer Olympic Games three times?
AAthensBTokyoCLondonDParis - 12.
What is the decathlon, and how many events does it consist of?
AA swimming competition with 8 eventsBA cycling competition with 6 eventsCA track and field competition with 10 eventsDA gymnastics competition with 12 events - 13.
Jesse Owens won four gold medals at which Olympic Games, defying Nazi racial ideology?
A1940 TokyoB1948 LondonC1936 BerlinD1932 Los Angeles - 14.
Which country has traditionally dominated the sport of table tennis at the Olympics?
AGermanyBSouth KoreaCChinaDJapan - 15.
The ancient Olympic Games originally consisted of a single event. What was it?
AChariot racingBDiscus throwingCA footrace called the stadionDWrestling
Answer Key
The ancient Olympic Games originated in Olympia, Greece, in 776 BC. They were held every four years for nearly 12 centuries until they were banned in 393 AD by the Roman Emperor Theodosius I.
The Olympic flag has five interlocking rings representing the five continents of the world (Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania). The flag was designed by Pierre de Coubertin in 1913.
The United States has won more gold medals in the Summer Olympics than any other country, with over 1,000 gold medals accumulated since the modern Olympics began in 1896.
Michael Phelps of the United States holds the record with 23 Olympic gold medals (and 28 total medals), making him the most decorated Olympian of all time.
The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. They were organized by Pierre de Coubertin and featured 241 athletes from 14 nations competing in 43 events.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021) introduced four new sports: skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing, and karate. These additions were part of an effort to attract younger audiences.
The marathon is the longest running event in Olympic track and field at 42.195 kilometers (26.2 miles). The distance was standardized at the 1908 London Olympics.
Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci scored the first perfect 10.0 in Olympic gymnastics history on the uneven bars at the 1976 Montreal Games. She was only 14 years old at the time.
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt set the world record for the 100-meter dash at 9.58 seconds at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. He also holds the 200-meter world record at 19.19 seconds.
The biathlon combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. Athletes ski a set distance, then stop at a shooting range to hit targets. Missed targets result in penalty laps or added time.
London has hosted the Summer Olympics three times: in 1908, 1948, and 2012. Paris hosted in 1900, 1924, and 2024, making it the second city to host three times.
The decathlon is a track and field competition consisting of 10 events over two days: 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m (day 1), and 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, 1500m (day 2).
Jesse Owens, an African American track and field athlete, won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics (100m, 200m, long jump, 4x100m relay), undermining Adolf Hitler's claims of Aryan racial supremacy.
China has dominated Olympic table tennis since it became an Olympic sport in 1988, winning the majority of gold medals. Chinese players have won 32 of the 37 gold medals awarded in the sport through 2024.
The original Olympic Games in 776 BC featured a single event: the stadion, a footrace of about 192 meters (the length of the stadium at Olympia). Additional events were added in subsequent years.