120+ Olympics Quiz Questions and Answers about all things Olympic Games related! With question sets on General Olympic Knowledge (History, Legends, Winners etc), the Summer Olympics, the Winter Olympics and the Paralympics – it’s the ULTIMATE Olympics Quiz!
Every 4 years, the world’s greatest athletes gather together to vie for Olympic glory. They compete across 35 sports, 53 disciplines and over 400 different events in cities around the world. For most, the Olympics symbolise everything they have worked towards in their athletic careers, coming down to just a few short (or long!) days of competition. For others, those who attend multiple games, and take home multiple medals, have the opportunity to write themselves into the history books as some of the greatest Olympians of all time.
So the athletes put in the work, the host cities always put on an incredible show, and we all get to enjoy these extraordinary feats of athletic ability over a few weeks. But while that all sounds like fun all around, how much do you really know about the Olympic Games? Let us test your knowledge with our Ultimate Olympics Quiz.
It’s essentially 4 separate Olympics quizzes: 50 questions and answers on everything related to the Olympics. From the first Games to the latest; the winners, the losers (and the cheats!); and the records, history, traditions and more. Plus 25 questions and answers each on both the Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics, and 20 Q&As all about the Paralympics.
Olympics Quiz Questions: General Knowledge & Legends of the Modern Olympics
1. What does IOC stand for?
2. When the Modern Olympic Games started in 1896, in how many Olympic sports did the 12 participating nations compete in?
3. The Olympic Summer Games and the Olympic Winter Games were held in the same year till :
A. 1988
B. 1996
C. 1984
D. 1992
4. The original Olympic motto – Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger) was created by which French Dominican preacher?
5. In what year was the Olympic Flame introduced and who was the host country?
6. Which Olympic host city became the first city ever to organise both summer and winter Olympics?
A. Tokyo.
B. Rome.
C. Beijing
D. Seoul.
7. The marathon route in the 1972 Olympics was created to resemble what?
8. Michael Phelps holds the all-time record for Olympic gold medals. How many gold medals did he win?
A. 22.
B. 28.
C. 26.
D. 23.
9. American swimmer and nine-time Olympic champion, Mark Andrew Spitz, jokingly said what bodily feature gave him an edge over his competitors in 1972?
10. Which American 1948 Summer Olympics silver medalist in weightlifting played the role of the villain ‘Oddjob’ in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger?
11. Which was the first Olympic Games where all the participating countries sent female athletes?
12. In 1896, who became the first modern Olympic champion when he won Gold in Triple Jump?
A. James Connolly.
B. Myer Prinstein.
C. Tim Ahearne.
D. Gustaf Lindblom.
13. During the 3000m final at 1984 Olympics, Mary Decker, America’s golden girl collided with which shoeless South African teenager and thus created one of the controversial races in Olympic history?
14. Which country’s group of athletes take up the first position during the parade of nations at the opening ceremony?
15. An annual prize is given by the New York Road Runners Club (NYRR) to honour individuals who have made a significant contribution to the sport of long-distance running, is named after which Olympic Gold medalist?
A. Saïd Aouita.
B. Mo Farah.
C. Abebe Bikila.
D. Kipchoge Keino.
16. Who is the only person to have won an Olympic medal and a Nobel Prize?
17. Which Olympian was nicknamed the “Czech Locomotive”?
A. Emil Zátopek.
B. Jan Zelezny.
C. Gaston Reiff.
D. Paavo Nurmi.
18. Who won the gold medal for literature at the 1912 Summer Olympics for his poem ‘Ode to Sport’?
19. During the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, why was the Olympic flag raised to a height of exactly 15.21 meters?
20. In 1976 at the age of 14, who was the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10.0 at the Olympic Games?
A. Olga Korbut.
B. Agnes Keleti.
C. Nadia Comăneci.
D. Cathy Rigby.
21. Which legendary American’s 1968 Olympics achievement inspired a new word in the English language: which meant ‘an athletic feat so dramatically superior to previous feats that it overwhelms the imagination’?
22. South Africa’s Olympic Committee honoured which sports personality to carry their flag at the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, making her the first athlete to carry a flag in both Olympics and Paralympics in a single year?
23. In which Olympic event did the athletes that won gold, silver and bronze in Rio Olympics repeat the feat and win gold, silver and bronze again – in the same order – in Tokyo
24. During his Gold medal-winning rowing race at the 1928 Olympics, Bobby Pearce, an Australian athlete deliberately slowed down but still managed to win the race by 30 seconds. Why did he slow down?
25. Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British historical sports drama film directed by Hugh Hudson. It is based on the true story of which two British athletes in the 1924 Olympics?
26. Who was the first and only left-handed shooter to win two Olympic gold medals (in 1948 and 1952) in the 25-metre rapid fire pistol event?
27. Of the 23 summer Olympics host cities, which is the only city to have held the games 3 times (to 2022)?
28. What is the name of the official Hymn of the Olympic Games?
29. Which famous American boxer nicknamed ‘The Greatest‘ was formerly known as Cassius Clay?
30. The 1968 Olympic torch relay was designed to follow the course taken by which world-famous figure journeying from Greece through Italy and Spain to San Salvador Island, Bahamas, and then on to Mexico?
31. Colonel Takeichi Nishi was a famous Japanese tank commander, equestrian show jumper and Olympic Gold Medalist at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. He was portrayed by actor Tsuyoshi Ihara in which 2006 film?
32. What do the 5 Olympic Rings represent?
33. The longest-standing Olympic and World Record has been held by Jarmila Kratochvílová for over 38 years (in 2022) – in what event did she set it?
34. Of the 18 countries of the world that have hosted the modern Olympic Games, which country has hosted the most Games?
35. Only three nations have taken part in every edition of the Olympic Games (both winter and summer): France, Great Britain and who? Name the third country.
36. Which iconic moment in American sporting history took place at the 1880 Winter Olympics and was dubbed as the “Miracle on Ice”?
37. In 1976, who became the first member of the British royal family to have competed in the Olympic Games?
38. The medals offered at the Tokyo 2020 Games were made of what?
39. Often nicknamed “Captain Canada” who holds the record for most Olympic appearances by any athlete in any sport (10)?
40. George Eyser won a gold medal while wearing a prosthetic leg at the 1904 Summer Olympics. What sport did he compete in?
41. Born Wa-Tho-Huk, translated as “Bright Path”, who was the first Native American to win a gold medal for the United States in the Olympics?
42. Often referred to as “the Mozart of table tennis and known in China as Lǎo Wǎ, who is the only person to win an Olympic table tennis gold medal representing a non-Asian country?
43. Who is the first person to win multiple medals in both summer and Winter Games?
44. When Colonel Harry Llewellyn won Great Britain’s only gold medal winner at the 1952 Olympics, his horse, Foxhunter, was sent a congratulatory telegram from which famous personality?
45. In 1968, who became the first man to officially break the 10-second barrier in the 100 meters and win individual and relay gold at the Mexico City Olympics?
46. What colour is NOT one of the 5 Olympic Rings?
A. Orange
B. Yellow
C. Black
D. Green
47. Actor Johnny Weissmuller (who played Tarzan in the 1930s and 40s) won 5 gold medals in what sport?
48. What year was the Olympic Flag first flown?
49. Where were the first Winter Olympics held in 1924?
A. The USA
B. Switzerland
C. France
D. Canada
50. Of all the Olympic cities, which was the one that started it all in ancient times?
Summer Olympics Quiz Questions
1. There were 43 Olympics nations when the modern Olympics started in 1896, how many Olympic nations participated in the Tokyo 2020-2021 Olympic Games?
2. The Swedish shooter, Oscar Gomer Swahn, is the oldest person to win an Olympic medal. How old was he when he competed?
3. Due to the Australian quarantine regulations, the equestrian events at the 1956 Summer Olympics were held in which European city?
4. Who became the first boxer in Olympic history to win three successive gold medals?
5. Which former Soviet artistic gymnast holds the record for the most Olympic gold medals by a gymnast, male or female, with 9
6. A women’s artistic gymnastics vault consisting of a front handspring onto the vaulting horse and two front somersaults in a tucked position off it is named after which Olympic medalist?
A. Simone Biles.
B. Shannon Miller.
C. Yelena Produnova.
D. Ludmilla Tourischeva.
7. Who won gold in the 50m and 100m freestyle at the 1992 Olympics and repeated the feat at the 1996 Olympics making him the only male in Olympic Games history to defend both titles?
8. Name the four-time discus throw Olympic Champion who was the first athlete to win a gold medal in the same individual event in four consecutive Olympic Games?
9. Which female American sprinter became the first American athlete to win three gold medals in a single Olympic Games?
10. The water polo match between Hungary and the USSR at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics was dubbed as what?
11. Which long-distance runner was the first athlete to win both the 5000m and 10,000m titles at successive Olympic Games?
12. Name this legendary American basketball head coach who led the 1992 Team USA basketball team (“The Dream Team”) to the gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
13. Which former president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) competed in the Finn class of sailing in three Summer Olympic Games; in 1968, 1972, and 1976?
14. An eight-time Olympic gold medallist, which sporting legend is the only sprinter to win Olympic 100m and 200m titles at three consecutive Olympics?
15. Nicknamed “Madame Butterfly”, which famous Australian swimmer won the 200m butterfly at the 1996 Summer Olympics and the 200m freestyle at the 2000 Summer Olympics?
16. During the Opening Ceremony of the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, which Spanish Paralympic archer lit the Olympic Cauldron by shooting a flaming arrow over it, igniting the gases?
17. Hans-Gunnar Liljenwall is a former Swedish modern pentathlete who caused the disqualification of the Swedish team at the 1968 Summer Olympics. What did he do?
18. Following Tom Daley’s Gold medal win in the men’s synchronized 10-meter platform dive at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, a now-iconic photo saw him go viral – but what was his doing at the time?
19. Which country boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympic Games?
20. The longest wrestling match in Olympic history lasted how many hours?
A. 7 Hours.
B. 11 Hours.
C. 3 Hours.
D. 15 Hours.
21. During the 1932 Summer Olympics, what error was made in the men’s 3000 metres steeplechase event
22. Why was American marathon runner Fred Lorz disqualified during the 1904 Summer Olympics?
23. Which sport made its Olympic debut during the 1920 Summer Olympics?
25. After being removed in 1924, in what year was Tennis reintroduced as an Olympic event?
Winter Olympics Quiz Questions
1. The Innsbruck 1964 Winter Olympics were threatened because of a weird reason but the Austrian army rushed to the rescue. What was the reason?
2. Name the only American to win an Olympic medal for ski jumping (for his jump in the 1924 Winter Olympics) but didn’t get his bronze medal until 50 years later because of a scoring error.
3. What was so unique about the gold medals awarded in the Women’s downhill event in alpine skiing, 2014?
4. At the 2010 Winter Olympics, who became the first athlete in Olympic history to participate in both short track (1500m) and long track (5000m) speed skating and also became the first to compete in two different disciplines on the same day?
5. Who became the first person to win two gold medals at the same Olympic Winter Games in two sports – Alpine skiing and snowboarding?
6. Which edition of the Winter Olympics were the first to be shown on TV in colour?
A. 1968.
B. 1976.
C. 1964.
D. 1976.
7. Squaw Valley, California, United States was very small and totally ill-prepared to host the 1960 Winter Olympics games. So they invited which famous American personality to help them and organize the opening and closing ceremonies?
8. Name the Japanese ski-jumper who holds the record for the most Winter Olympic appearances by an athlete with 8?
9. The 1972 Winter Olympic Games were the first to be held outside of Europe or North America. Which city hosted the games
10. The 1976 Winter Olympics were awarded to Innsbruck after the original host city, withdrew in 1972. Which was the original Winter Olympic host city?
11. Name the country that has won the most medals at the Winter Olympics.
A. The USA.
B. Norway.
C. Germany.
D.Canada.
12. The 1924 Chamonix Olympics marked the Olympic debut of an 11-year-old figure skater who later became one of the greatest figure skaters of all time. Name this legendary figure skater.
13. Name the official mascot of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
14. What is the name of the American boxer and bobsledder, who is the only person to win a gold medal at both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games in different disciplines?
15. A champion ice hockey player, who was the only Jewish athlete to have represented Germany at the 1936 Winter Olympics?
16. Artificial snow was used for the first time in which Winter Olympics?
A. 1976, Innsbruck.
B. 1984, Sarajevo.
C. 1980, Lake Placid.
D. 1988, Calgary.
17. Which Austrian alpine ski racer considered among the best in the sport is nicknamed “Blitz from Kitz” (the German word for “bolt of lightning” or “flash”)?
18. How many Winter Olympics sports will athletes compete in during the Bejing 2022 Games?
19. Ailsa Craig, an island in Scotland has large and varied quantities of fine Granite that was mined for making what sporting item from the early 1800s, until 1971?
20. With 13 Winter Olympic Gold Medals, who is known as the “King of Biathlon”?
21. Who became the first person to win a medal in the same event in the summer and winter Olympics, winning figure skating golds at the 1920 Olympics and at the first winter Olympics in 1924?
22. According to climate.gov, which is the warmest city to hold the Winter Olympic Games to date?
A. Nagano.
B. Sochi.
C. Innsbruck.
D. Albertville.
23. The name of which common sport comes from the Old Norse word for ‘a split length of wood’?
24. A five-time Olympian, whose five Olympic medals at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games brought her total number of medals up to a record 15, the most by any athlete in Winter Olympics history?
25. Named Soohorang, the mascot for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, Korea was based on what animal?
Paralympic Quiz Questions
1. In what year were the first Paralympic Games held?
2. Who is the most decorated Paralympian with a total of 55 medals?
3. Where will the 2024 Paralympics be held?
4. Two new sports were added to the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. Badminton was one, what was the other?
5. Which of the Olympic countries have held the Paralympic Games 3 times (to 2022)?
6. Who is the international governing body of sports for athletes with a disability?
7. Which paralympic sport is known as ‘Murderball’ after its depiction in a 2004 documentary?
8. From 1964 to 1984, where was the only city to play host to the Olympics and Paralympic Games in the same year?
9. Of the 5 colours of the Olympic rings (blue, yellow, black, green and red), which two colours are NOT included in the Agitos on the Paralympic Flag?
10. The 2016 Rio Paralympics featured the most athletes of any Paralympic games – how many competitors took part?
A. 3,950.
B. 4,328.
C. 5,010.
D. 2,875.
11. In which Paralympic event would you find ‘Tappers’?
12. In which country were the first Winter Paralympic games held in 1976?
13. What is the Paralympic motto (introduced in 2004)?
14. What was the name of the 2012 London Paralympic Mascot?
15. Which country has topped the Paralympic Medal table 9 times?
16. In the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, which country had the biggest contingent of athletes participating?
A. Brazil.
B. The USA.
C. The United Kingdom.
D. China.
17. Paralympic champion Tanni-Grey Thompson, won how many gold medals during her career?
18. 8 Different sports were played at the first Paralympic Games in 1960, how many sports were played at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games?
19. Based on functional disability, how many different classes are there in Paralympic Swimming events?
20. True or False: the ice hockey sticks in Para Ice Hockey have a regular blade on one end and a pickaxe at the other?
Olympics Quiz Questions and Answers (General Knowledge & Legends)
1. What does IOC stand for?
International Olympic Committee
2. When the Modern Olympic Games started in 1896, in how many Olympic sports did the 12 participating nations compete in?
43
3. The Olympic Summer Games and the Olympic Winter Games were held in the same year till :
A. 1988
B. 1996
C. 1984
D. 1992
4. The original Olympic motto – Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger) was created by which French Dominican preacher?
Henri Didon
5. In what year was the Olympic Flame introduced and who was the host country?
1928 – Amsterdam
6. Which Olympic host city became the first city ever to organise both summer and winter Olympics?
A. Tokyo.
B. Rome.
C. Beijing
D. Seoul.
7. The marathon route in the 1972 Olympics was created to resemble what?
The body of Waldi, the first official Olympic mascot.
8. Michael Phelps holds the all-time record for Olympic gold medals. How many gold medals did he win?
A. 22.
B. 28.
C. 26.
D. 23.
9. American swimmer and nine-time Olympic champion, Mark Andrew Spitz, jokingly said what bodily feature gave him an edge over his competitors in 1972?
His moustache.
10. Which American 1948 Summer Olympics silver medalist in weightlifting played the role of the villain ‘Oddjob’ in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger?
Harold Sakata
11. Which was the first Olympic Games where all the participating countries sent female athletes?
London, 2012
12. In 1896, who became the first modern Olympic champion when he won Gold in Triple Jump?
A. James Connolly.
B. Myer Prinstein.
C. Tim Ahearne.
D. Gustaf Lindblom.
13. During the 3000m final at 1984 Olympics, Mary Decker, America’s golden girl collided with which shoeless South African teenager and thus created one of the controversial races in Olympic history?
Zola Budd.
14. Which country’s group of athletes take up the first position during the parade of nations at the opening ceremony?
Greece
15. An annual prize is given by the New York Road Runners Club (NYRR) to honour individuals who have made a significant contribution to the sport of long-distance running, is named after which Olympic Gold medalist?
A. Saïd Aouita.
B. Mo Farah.
C. Abebe Bikila.
D. Kipchoge Keino.
16. Who is the only person to have won an Olympic medal and a Nobel Prize?
Philip Noel-Baker.
17. Which Olympian was nicknamed the “Czech Locomotive”?
A. Emil Zátopek.
B. Jan Zelezny.
C. Gaston Reiff.
D. Paavo Nurmi.
18. Who won the gold medal for literature at the 1912 Summer Olympics for his poem ‘Ode to Sport’?
Pierre de Coubertin also known as Pierre, baron de Coubertin (founder of the IOC)
19, During the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, why was the Olympic flag raised to a height of exactly 15.21 meters?
To show respect to Mikio Oda, the first Asian Olympic Triple Jump Champion’s jump record of 15.21 meters.
20. In 1976 at the age of 14, who was the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10.0 at the Olympic Games?
A. Olga Korbut.
B. Agnes Keleti.
C. Nadia Comăneci.
D. Cathy Rigby.
21. Which legendary American’s 1968 Olympics achievement inspired a new word in the English language: which meant ‘an athletic feat so dramatically superior to previous feats that it overwhelms the imagination’?
Beamonesque inspired by Bob Beamon
22. South Africa’s Olympic Committee honoured which sports personality to carry their flag at the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, making her the first athlete to carry a flag in both Olympics and Paralympics in a single year?
Natalie du Toit.
23. In which Olympic event did the athletes that won gold, silver and bronze in Rio Olympics repeat the feat and win gold, silver and bronze again – in the same order – in Tokyo?
The men’s shot put competition.
24. During his Gold medal-winning rowing race at the 1928 Olympics, Bobby Pearce, an Australian athlete deliberately slowed down but still managed to win the race by 30 seconds. Why did he slow down?
He slowed down and waited for a family of ducks to cross his path.
25. Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British historical sports drama film directed by Hugh Hudson. It is based on the true story of which two British athletes in the 1924 Olympics?
Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams.
26. Who was the first and only left-handed shooter to win two Olympic gold medals (in 1948 and 1952) in the 25-metre rapid fire pistol event?
Károly Takács
27. Of the 23 summer Olympics host cities, which is the only city to have held the games 3 times (to 2022)?
London
28. What is the name of the official Hymn of the Olympic Games?
Olympic Hymn
29. Which famous American boxer nicknamed ‘The Greatest’ was formerly known as Cassius Clay?
Muhammed Ali
30. The 1968 Olympic torch relay was designed to follow the course taken by which world-famous figure journeying from Greece through Italy and Spain to San Salvador Island, Bahamas, and then on to Mexico?
Christopher Columbus.
31. Colonel Takeichi Nishi was a famous Japanese tank commander, equestrian show jumper and Olympic Gold Medalist at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. He was portrayed by actor Tsuyoshi Ihara in which 2006 film?
Letters from Iwo Jima.
32. What do the 5 Olympic Rings represent?
The 5 Continents where all Olympic athletes come from (Africa, Asia, The Americas, Europe, and Oceania)
33. The longest-standing Olympic and World Record has been held by Jarmila Kratochvílová for over 38 years (in 2022) – in what event did she set it?
The 800m
34. Of the 18 countries of the world that have hosted the modern Olympic Games, which country has hosted the most Games?
The USA (9 Games in total – 5x Summer Olympics and 4x Winter Olympics)
35. Only three nations have taken part in every edition of the Olympic Games (both winter and summer): France, Great Britain and who? Name the third country.
Switzerland.
36. Which iconic moment in American sporting history took place at the 1880 Winter Olympics and was dubbed as the “Miracle on Ice”?
An ice hockey game between the United States and the Soviet Union.
37. In 1976, who became the first member of the British royal family to have competed in the Olympic Games?
Princess Anne.
38. The medals offered at the Tokyo 2020 Games were made of what?
Recycled metals from small electronic devices such as used mobile phones.
39. Often nicknamed “Captain Canada” who holds the record for most Olympic appearances by any athlete in any sport (10)?
Ian Millar.
40. George Eyser won a gold medal while wearing a prosthetic leg at the 1904 Summer Olympics. What sport did he compete in?
Gymnastics
41. Born Wa-Tho-Huk, translated as “Bright Path”, who was the first Native American to win a gold medal for the United States in the Olympics?
Jim Thorpe.
42. Often referred to as “the Mozart of table tennis and known in China as Lǎo Wǎ, who is the only person to win an Olympic table tennis gold medal representing a non-Asian country?
Jan-Ove Waldner
43. Who is the first person to win multiple medals in both summer and Winter Games?
Clara Hughes.
44. When Colonel Harry Llewellyn won Great Britain’s only gold medal winner at the 1952 Olympics, his horse, Foxhunter, was sent a congratulatory telegram from which famous personality?
Winston Churchill.
45. In 1968, who became the first man to officially break the 10-second barrier in the 100 meters and win individual and relay gold at the Mexico City Olympics?
Jim Hines
46. What colour is NOT one of the 5 Olympic Rings?
A. Orange
B. Yellow
C. Black
D. Green
47. Actor Johnny Weissmuller (who played Tarzan in the 1930s and 40s) won 5 gold medals in what sport?
Swimming
48. What year was the Olympic Flag first flown?
1920
49. Where were the first Winter Olympics held in 1924?
A. The USA
B. Switzerland
C. France
D. Canada
50. Of all the Olympic cities, which was the one that started it all in ancient times?
Olympia, Greece
Summer Olympics Quiz Questions and Answers
1. There were 43 Olympics nations when the modern Olympics started in 1896, how many Olympic nations participated in the Tokyo 2020-2021 Olympic Games?
206
2. The Swedish shooter, Oscar Gomer Swahn, is the oldest person to win an Olympic medal. How old was he when he competed?
72 years and 281 days old when he competed at the 1920 Olympics.
3. Due to the Australian quarantine regulations, the equestrian events at the 1956 Summer Olympics were held in which European city?
Stockholm.
4. Who became the first boxer in Olympic history to win three successive gold medals?
László Papp (1948, 1952, 1956)
5. Which former Soviet artistic gymnast holds the record for the most Olympic gold medals by a gymnast, male or female, with 9?
Larisa Latynina.
6. A women’s artistic gymnastics vault consisting of a front handspring onto the vaulting horse and two front somersaults in a tucked position off it is named after which Olympic medalist?
A. Simone Biles.
B. Shannon Miller.
C. Yelena Produnova.
D. Ludmilla Tourischeva.
7. Who won gold in the 50m and 100m freestyle at the 1992 Olympics and repeated the feat at the 1996 Olympics making him the only male in Olympic Games history to defend both titles?
Alexander Popov
8. Name the four-time discus throw Olympic Champion who was the first athlete to win a gold medal in the same individual event in four consecutive Olympic Games?
Al Oerter.
9. Which female American sprinter became the first American athlete to win three gold medals in a single Olympic Games?
Wilma Rudolph (the 100m and 200m individual events plus the 4 x 100-meter relay at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy.)
10. The water polo match between Hungary and the USSR at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics was dubbed as what?
The “Blood in the Water” match.
(A Hungarian player had emerged from the water during the last two minutes with blood pouring from above his eye after being punched by a Soviet player.)
11. Which long-distance runner was the first athlete to win both the 5000m and 10,000m titles at successive Olympic Games?
Lasse Virén.
12. Name this legendary American basketball head coach who led the 1992 Team USA basketball team (“The Dream Team”) to the gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
Chuck Daley.
13. Which former president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) competed in the Finn class of sailing in three Summer Olympic Games; in 1968, 1972, and 1976?
Jacques Rogge.
14. An eight-time Olympic gold medallist, which sporting legend is the only sprinter to win Olympic 100m and 200m titles at three consecutive Olympics?
Usain Bolt.
15. Nicknamed “Madame Butterfly”, which famous Australian swimmer won the 200m butterfly at the 1996 Summer Olympics and the 200m freestyle at the 2000 Summer Olympics?
Susan O’Neill.
16. During the Opening Ceremony of the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, which Spanish Paralympic archer lit the Olympic Cauldron by shooting a flaming arrow over it, igniting the gases?
Antonio Rebollo.
17. Hans-Gunnar Liljenwall is a former Swedish modern pentathlete who caused the disqualification of the Swedish team at the 1968 Summer Olympics. What did he do?
Liljenwall reportedly had “two beers” to calm his nerves before the pistol shooting event and became the first athlete to be disqualified at the Olympics for alcohol use.
18. Following Tom Daley’s Gold medal win in the men’s synchronized 10-meter platform dive at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, a now-iconic photo saw him go viral – but what was his doing at the time?
Knitting – Daley was seen knitting while watching women’s synchronized 3-meter springboard event and showcases his knits on Instagram after starting to knit during the global lockdown in 2020.
19. Which country boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympic Games?
The USA (in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan)
20. The longest wrestling match in Olympic history lasted how many hours?
A. 7 Hours.
B. 11 Hours. (In the 1912 Summer Olympics, Martin Klein and Alfred Asikainen grappled for 11 hours and 40 minutes!)
C. 3 Hours.
D. 15 Hours.
21. During the 1932 Summer Olympics, what error was made in the men’s 3000 metres steeplechase event?
The athletes ran an extra lap (due to a mistake from an official)
22. Why was American marathon runner Fred Lorz disqualified during the 1904 Summer Olympics?
He hitchhiked during the race(!)
23. Which sport made its Olympic debut during the 1920 Summer Olympics?
Ice Hockey (The 1920 Summer Olympics featured a week of winter sports)
25. After being removed in 1924, in what year was Tennis reintroduced as an Olympic event?
1988
Winter Olympics Quiz Questions and Answers
1. The Innsbruck 1964 Winter Olympics were threatened because of a weird reason but the Austrian army rushed to the rescue. What was the reason?
The Innsbruck Games were threatened by a lack of snow. The Austrian army rushed to the rescue, carving out 20,000 blocks of ice from the mountainside and transporting them down to the luge and bobsleigh tracks.
2. Name the only American to win an Olympic medal for ski jumping (for his jump in the 1924 Winter Olympics) but didn’t get his bronze medal until 50 years later because of a scoring error.
Anders Olsen Haugen.
3. What was so unique about the gold medals awarded in the Women’s downhill event in alpine skiing, 2014?
There were two of them – Dominique Gisin of Switzerland and Tina Maze of Slovenia, were each awarded Gold for a first-place tie, the first gold medal tie ever for an Olympic alpine skiing event. No silver medal was awarded.
4. At the 2010 Winter Olympics, who became the first athlete in Olympic history to participate in both short track (1500m) and long track (5000m) speed skating and also became the first to compete in two different disciplines on the same day?
Haralds Silovs.
5. Who became the first person to win two gold medals at the same Olympic Winter Games in two sports – Alpine skiing and snowboarding?
Ester Ledecká.
6. Which edition of the Winter Olympics were the first to be shown on TV in colour?
A. 1968.
B. 1976.
C. 1964.
D. 1976.
7. Squaw Valley, California, United States was very small and totally ill-prepared to host the 1960 Winter Olympics games. So they invited which famous American personality to help them and organize the opening and closing ceremonies?
Walt Disney.
8. Name the Japanese ski-jumper who holds the record for the most Winter Olympic appearances by an athlete with 8?
Noriaki Kasai.
9. The 1972 Winter Olympic Games were the first to be held outside of Europe or North America. Which city hosted the games?
Sapporo, Japan.
10. The 1976 Winter Olympics were awarded to Innsbruck after the original host city, withdrew in 1972. Which was the original Winter Olympic host city?
Denver, Colorado.
11. Name the country that has won the most medals at the Winter Olympics.
A. The USA.
B. Norway.
C. Germany.
D.Canada.
12. The 1924 Chamonix Olympics marked the Olympic debut of an 11-year-old figure skater who later became one of the greatest figure skaters of all time. Name this legendary figure skater.
Sonja Henie.
13. Name the official mascot of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
Bing Dwen Dwen.
14. What is the name of the American boxer and bobsledder, who is the only person to win a gold medal at both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games in different disciplines?
Eddie Eagan.
15. A champion ice hockey player, who was the only Jewish athlete to have represented Germany at 1936 Winter Olympics?
Rudi Victor Ball
16. Artificial snow was used for the first time in which Winter Olympics?
A. 1976, Innsbruck.
B. 1984, Sarajevo.
C. 1980, Lake Placid.
D. 1988, Calgary.
17. Which Austrian alpine ski racer considered among the best in the sport is nicknamed “Blitz from Kitz” (German word for “bolt of lightning” or “flash”)?
Anton Engelbert “Toni” Sailer.
18. How many Winter Olympics sports will athletes compete in during the Bejing 2022 Games?
7 Sports (15 Disciplines)
19. Ailsa Craig, an island in Scotland has large and varied quantities of fine Granite that was mined for making what sporting item from the early 1800s, until 1971?
Curling stones
20. With 13 Winter Olympic Gold Medals, who is known as the “King of Biathlon”?
Ole Einar Bjørndalen.
21. Who became the first person to win a medal in the same event in the summer and winter Olympics, winning figure skating golds at the 1920 Olympics and at the first winter Olympics in 1924?
Gillis Grafström.
22. According to climate.gov, which is the warmest city to hold the Winter Olympic Games to date?
A. Nagano.
B. Sochi.
C. Innsbruck.
D. Albertville.
23. The name of which common sport comes from the Old Norse word for ‘a split length of wood’?
Skiing (from the Old Norse word “skid”, a split length of wood.)
24. A five-time Olympian, whose five Olympic medals at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games brought her total number of medals up to a record 15, the most by any athlete in Winter Olympics history?
Marit Bjørgen, A Norwegian cross-country skier.
25. Named Soohorang, the mascot for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, Korea was based on what animal?
A White Tiger
Paralympics Quiz Questions and Answers
1. In what year were the first Paralympic Games held?
1960
2. Who is the most decorated Paralympian with a total of 55 medals?
Trisha Zorn (Swimmer from Team USA)
3. Where will the 2024 Paralympics be held?
Paris
4. Two new sports were added to the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. Badminton was one, what was the other?
Taekwondo
5. Which of the Olympic countries have held the Paralympic Games 3 times (to 2022)?
Japan (Tokyo 1964 and 2020 + Nagano 1998)
6. Who is the international governing body of sports for athletes with a disability?
IPC – International Paralympic Committee
7. Which paralympic sport is known as ‘Murderball’ after its depiction in a 2004 documentary?
Wheelchair Rugby
8. From 1964 to 1984, where was the only city to play host to the Olympics and Paralympic Games in the same year?
Tokyo
9. Of the 5 colours of the Olympic rings (blue, yellow, black, green and red), which two colours are NOT included in the Agitos on the Paralympic Flag?
Yellow and Black
10. The 2016 Rio Paralympics featured the most athletes of any Paralympic games – how many competitors took part?
A. 3,950.
B. 4,328.
C. 5,010.
D. 2,875.
11. In which Paralympic event would you find ‘Tappers’?
Swimming – Tappers assist visually impaired athletes by tapping them on the head with a ball on the end of a stick to let them know the wall is approaching.
12. In which country were the first Winter Paralympic games held in 1976?
Sweden (Örnsköldsvik)
13. What is the Paralympic motto (introduced in 2004)?
Sprint in Motion
14. What was the name of the 2012 London Paralympic Mascot?
Mandeville
15. Which country has topped the Paralympic Medal table 9 times?
Team USA
16. In the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, which country had the biggest contingent of athletes participating?
A. Brazil. (with 253 athletes)
B. The USA.
C. The United Kingdom.
D. China.
17. Paralympic champion Tanni-Grey Thompson, won how many gold medals during her career?
11
18. 8 Different sports were played at the first Paralympic Games in 1960, how many sports were played at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games?
22
19. Based on functional disability, how many different classes are there in Paralympic Swimming events?
10
20. True or False: the ice hockey sticks in Para Ice Hockey have a regular blade on one end and a pickaxe at the other?
True – the pointy end helps competitors push themselves around the ice.
That’s a wrap on our Olympic trivia – we hope you enjoyed our Olympic quiz questions and answers and there was a good mix of easy, difficult and multiple-choice questions for you to answer or to add to your own quiz!
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