Are You Watching The Olympics? Who Isn’t??
Find Some Fun Facts Below From Past Olympic Games!
2012 is not the first time London has hosted an Olympic Games, nor is it even the second. In fact, London will become the first city to ever host a modern Olympics three times. In addition to that record, London also has the honour of being the first city to host the Paralympics, which took place in 1948 for wounded war veterans.
Names can be deceptive. Even though the top athlete in his or her field wins the ‘gold,’ the gold medals aren’t really made of solid gold. In fact, they haven’t been pure gold for around 100 years. The gold medals awarded now are actually silver, with gold plating.
In ancient Greece, athletes didn’t have to worry about endorsements on their jerseys or shorts, because they weren’t wearing any. That’s right, competitors back in the day had to strut around in the buff, and only men were allowed to compete. Competitors often oiled themselves up for looks, and as a tribute to the Gods. (The word “gymnasium” comes from the Greek “gymnos,” which means “naked.”) Those unabashed Greeks even worked out in the nude!
Oscar Swahn, a Swedish shooting expert, won his first Olympic medal in 1908, when he was a spry 60-year-olds. Apparently he got a taste for winning, even if it came later in life than most people. (He would go on to compete in two more Olympic Games.) After WWI, Swahn attended the Antwerp Games (his last) and won a silver medal. He was 72 at the time. It seemed his marksmanship hadn’t faltered in the slightest, despite his advancing age.
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Cheers!
Jordan Willson