The Olympic Games in Tokyo this year came and went quite quickly it seemed due to the pandemic situation. But that doesn’t mean the competition was any less fierce. All the countries fought to win the top – or at least top three – spots. The USA took the number one spot with more than a hundred medals, with China only one gold medal behind it.
But these are facts we all know. There are many interesting facts about the Official Olympics games that you may not know much about, or you had always wondered about. Below you will get all your answers.
Gold Medals Are Not Actually All Gold
Many people (me included before now) think that the gold medal is made of pure gold. Well, that’s not the case. The gold medal is, in fact, made from silver and it only has around six grams of gold. This meets the standard set out in the Olympic Charter. To my amazement, I found out that the 2020 Olympic games had medals made from recycled electronics! The gold medal would weigh around 556 grams. You can imagine the cost of a medal made out of pure gold.
The Torch Relay Tradition
Surprisingly, the torch relay is not an ancient tradition contrary to popular belief. Carl Diem, Chief Organizer for the 1936 Berlin Olympics, started the torch relay as a propaganda tool in favor of the Nazi party. To date, the tradition continues.
Cancelled Games So Far
Yes, three times! This was only due to unavoidable circumstances. The first time was due to World War 1 back in 1916. The second, as you may have guessed already, was due to World War 2 in 1940. And the third Olympic Games were canceled in 1944.
The Colors of the Olympic Rings
The founder of the Olympic movement, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, suggested the five-ring symbol in blue, green, yellow, black, and red colors. This was not merely by accident. It’s very interesting that at least one color in the Olympic rings is present in the national flag of every country.
Countries that Participated In All Modern-Era Games
Only five countries have participated in every modern-era Olympic Games! These countries include Greece, Great Britain, France, Switzerland, and Australia.
The Youngest Gold Medalist Ever
The youngest person to win a medal in the Olympics is Marjorie Gestring. She is also the youngest to get a gold medal in the history of the games at the age of 13. The youngest male to win a medal is Kusuo Kitamura. He won a gold medal in swimming.
One Participant Representing Two Different Nations
Only two athletes have won gold medals representing two different nations. Daniel Carpool won gold in rugby, representing Australia, in 1908. He then won it for the USA. Kakhi Kakhiashvili won men’s weightlifting in 1992 as part of a Unified Team and later as a Greek in 1996 and 2000.
