History

 Ceremonies 1896 Games  Women Interesting Facts Sydney 2000 Olympic Art Morton Stadium Dissolving Boundaries Page

Interesting Facts

Interesting Facts about the 1896 Games

It took the American team 17 days to reach the games by steamer.

The Italian competitor walked all the way from Milan to Athens but unfortunately he was disqualified and couldn't compete.

An English tennis player, J.P. Boland, was in Athens on holiday and he decided to enter the singles tournament.  He won!!  

Races were run clockwise and not anti-clockwise which is usual today.  Dena and Kerrie

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The Olympic Torch

For the Mexico games in 1968, the Olympic torch followed the route Christopher Columbus took when he discovered the New World.

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The First Olympic Superstar

Alvin Kraenzlein was  the first Olympic superstar. He was from the USA.  He won four gold medals at the Paris games in 1900.  

Liz and Joy

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The First Woman to Win an Olympic Competition but NO MEDAL!

Charlotte Cooper  was the first woman to win an Olympic competition.  She won it for tennis in Paris in 1900.  Charlotte could not get her medal because, until 1912, women only received diplomas so Charlotte didn’t get her gold medal.          Liz and Joy

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Athletics Firsts

Introduction of photo finish in 1912

First official use of photo finish in 1964 

First artificial surfaced track in 1968

First electric scoreboard in 1948

First use of starting blocks in 1948

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The Gold Medal

The gold medal is made of silver with a heavy gilding of 6 grams of pure gold.

Ray Ewry (U.S.A) holds the all-time record for winning the most gold medals.  He won ten between 1900 and 1908. 

The record holder for the most gold medals won at a single Olympic games is Mark Spitz  (U.S.A) – he won seven medals at Munich in 1972.

A row broke out in Australia before the 2000 games over the design on the medals for the Sydney Olympics.  The medals show a Roman colosseum rather than a Greek temple!     

In 1896 first place winners received silver medals because silver was more precious than gold then.  In 1904 gold was used for the first time.   by Robyn

 

Athletes United in the Closing Ceremony

Until the Melbourne games in 1956 individual teams marched separately in the closing ceremony.  It was a 17 year old boy, John Ring, who suggested that all the teams should run in together at the end of the games in 1956.  

 

History

 Ceremonies 1896 Games  Women Interesting Facts Sydney 2000 Olympic Art Morton Stadium Dissolving Boundaries Page

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