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JULY 29, 2021 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
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TJH
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Centerfold
Olympics Oddities
During the 1904 games in St. Louis, American runner Fred Lorz quit the marathon and hitched a ride in a car to the finish line but the car broke down four miles from the finish line. Lorz ran the last four miles to the finish line and was promptly awarded the gold medal. His shenanigans were quickly uncovered, and his gold medal was rescinded.
Oscar Swahn (1847-1927), a Swedish shooter, won his last medal at the 1920 Olympics at the age of 72, making him the oldest person to win an Olympic medal.
The gold medals awarded for the top prize are actually silver, with gold
plating.
Usain Bolt, who is a six-time Olympic gold medalist and holds the world record for the 100-meter dash, never in his life attempted to run a full mile.
The five Olympic rings represent the five major regions of the world – Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceana, and every national flag in the world includes one of the five colors, which are (from left to right) blue, yellow, black, green, and red.
Cassius Clay (later, Muhammad Ali) won the light heavyweight boxing gold medal at the Rome Olympics of 1960. He later threw it into the Ohio River in disgust after being refused service in a whites-only restaurant upon his return to the USA.
USA swimmer Mark Spitz had a mustache in the 1972 Olympics and jokingly told the Russian swimmers that it kept the water away from his mouth. During the next summer Olympics, all of the Russian swimmers had moustaches.
Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympic swimmer of all time, with total of 23 medals – so far!
The Beijing Olympics in 2008 began at exactly 8:08:08 PM on 8/8/08 because the number 8 is considered lucky in China.
The record for the longest name for an Olympic champion is by female Thai weightlifter Prapawadee Jaroenrattanatarakoon.
During the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, the procession of athletes is always led by the Greek team, followed by all the other teams in alphabetical order (in the language of the hosting country), except for the last team, which is always the team of the hosting country.
