Discover the Top 10 Amazing Olympic Fun Facts You Never Knew About
1. Youngest Swimmer Turned Cement Boss
In a shocking turn of events, Olympic gold medalist Kusuo Kitamura traded his Speedo for a suit and cement shoes: At only 14 years and 309 days old, the Japanese swimmer made waves by becoming the youngest Olympic swimming gold medalist in 1932, a title held until 1988. Kitamura went on to work for Japan's Ministry of Labor, direct a cement factory, establish himself as the first non-American inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame, and assume various roles within the Japanese Swimming Federation. Who says you can't dive into a career outside of the pool?
Source => olympics.com
2. Pigeon Shooting in Paris
Once upon a shot in Paris, when clay pigeons were almost real and competitors aimed for feathery glory: In the 1900 Olympic Games, a one-time event called "Live Pigeon Shooting" took place, where participants shot at clay targets resembling pigeons, with the grand prize winner bagging a whopping 20,000 Francs.
Source => topendsports.com
Did you know horses danced at a park during the 2012 Summer Olympics? Discover how Germany, Great Britain, and New Zealand galloped to glory in a unique equestrian event! 🏇🥇🥈🥉
=> Fun Facts about Summer-Olympics-2012
3. Pre-teen Speed Skater Champion
Imagine lacing up your skates at 13, only to zoom past skaters twice your age, leaving them with a cold draft and a hint of pre-teen grit: Kim Yun-Mi, a short track speed skater from South Korea, became the youngest Winter Olympic champion in 1994 at just 13 years old, and though her individual shine faded over time, she still wowed fans by grabbing two golds at the 1999 Asian Winter Games before hanging up her blades.
Source => olympics.com
4. Age-defying Gymnast Legend
Age is just a number, and Agnes Keleti is the reigning queen of numerical defiance: This incredible Hungarian gymnast holds 10 Olympic medals, including five golds, and at the ripe age of 100, is currently the oldest living Olympic champion and medalist. Surviving the Holocaust and the Siege of Budapest, she made her gymnastic Olympic debut at 31, proving that it's never too late to leap to victory.
Source => en.wikipedia.org
5. Condom Overload in London
When the Olympic torch isn't the only thing getting lit and the bedroom gymnastics kick in: The 2012 London Olympics supplied a staggering 150,000 free condoms to the 10,500 athletes, averaging 15 condoms per competitor, which was a 50% increase from the Beijing Olympics in 2008 – all in the spirit of promoting safe and responsible sexual behavior.
Source => dailymail.co.uk
6. Oldest Gold Medal Sharpshooter
When you think of a septuagenarian, knitting and bingo might come to mind, but for Swedish sharpshooter Oscar Swahn, his golden years were just an extension of his golden medal collection: At the incredible ages of 64 and 72, Swahn not only became the oldest gold medalist in Olympic history at the 1912 Stockholm Games but also the oldest Olympian to compete in the 1920 Antwerp Games, with a whopping six medals under his belt, including three gold. Talk about aging like a fine, gold-medal-winning wine!
Source => en.wikipedia.org
7. Miracle on Ice
In a chilling twist of fate that would make even Rocky Balboa shiver in his gold-winning boots, a motley crew of fresh-faced American youngsters stepped onto the ice to face off against the big, bad, Soviet machine: During the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, this underdog US ice hockey team triumphed over the seemingly unbeatable professionals from the Soviet Union, securing the gold medal and etching the Miracle on Ice into sports history as one of the most remarkable upsets ever witnessed.
Source => en.wikipedia.org
8. Unprepared Marathon Runner
In a feat that would make Forrest Gump proud, a Cuban postman sprinted from poor decision-making and unfortunate fashion choices all the way to Olympic history: At the 1904 St. Louis Olympics, Felix Carvajal lost almost his entire budget in a card game en route to the event, ultimately running the marathon in his everyday clothes and heavy walking shoes, even stopping for some ill-advised apple snacking, yet placing fourth with just under four hours on the clock.
Source => naturalrunningcenter.com
9. Tug-of-war Olympic Battles
Before countries battled for dominance through professional athletes, they waged war on a rope: Tug-of-war was actually an Olympic event from 1900 to 1920, with teams consisting of 6 or 8 members, and Great Britain snagging the most medals - 2 golds and 2 silvers.
Source => en.wikipedia.org
10. The Birth of an Iconic Motto
When Pierre de Coubertin put his motto-writing hat on, he said "Hold my baguette!": At the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, the now-iconic Olympic motto "Citius, Altius, Fortius" (Faster, Higher, Stronger) made its debut, having been originally introduced by a French sporting federation in 1891 and later adopted by the International Olympic Committee founder himself.
Source => en.wikipedia.org
