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08 Aug 04 - 07:20 PM (#1242792) Subject: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang Some time during the next couple of weeks there is a sport event called the Olympic Games. I know that many of you are not interested at all but some may be interested and I offer to them that quiz about nonmemorabilia. Googling is allowed, for even with googling some answers are very difficult to find. Responses in this thread. In some cases I even don't know whether my responses are (1) correct or (2) the only ones. If you get the impression that more memorable things re Olympics happen somewhere in or near to the middle of Europe that is the wrong impression. Correct is that if something memorable happens near the middle of Europe I'm more likely to remember it. Unless I do specify, 'athlete' means both male and female, and 'Olympic(s)' mean both Summer and Winter Games. Partial answers and guesses are invited. Easy Warmup: (1) For the US-Americans: Name the athlete who has won more gold medals than anybody else at just one particular Olympic games. (2) For the British: Name the fourth athlete worldwide, who has won gold at five different Olympic games. (3) For the Irish: Name the best ever result for Ireland in the Winter Games. Not easy? You're right. But the Irish are usually not treated fair and I didn't want to make an exception. (4) For the Canadians: Name the event in which a Canadian (athlete/team) did win the first ever Olympic gold for Canada. (5) For the Southern Islands: When did athletes from Australia and from New Zealand win both a medal for their countries at the same event (I don't know whether that has ever happened, I have no response here, but I'd like to learn) that is when did they share the podium of the medal winners. Now the not so easy questions: (1) Name the most successful Olympic horse that is which horse has carried its rider to most Olympic medals (and how many?). (2) Name father and son who did win gold at the same Olympic Games (there are too many different responses if different Games are allowed here). (3) Name the only athlete who has won gold at six different games (BTW, in the same event). (This should be easy, but somehow this person seems not to be well known). Bonus: name the athlete who is trying to equal this record in Athens (coming back from six Olympic games with each time at least one gold) (4) Name the most successful Olympic nation, in medals per capita, that is which nation is the most successful by far in relation to the number of inhabitants. (5) Name the most successful father/daughter team in the Olympic history (hint: there are not too many sports in which men and women team up) (6) Speaking about mixed teams: Name the athlete who in a team with the mother won gold and some Games later won gold with the daughter in the same event. (7) Name the only(?) athlete winning a medal at Winter and Summer Olympic games in the same year (8) Name a three generation triple (grandfather/mother, father/mother, son/daughter) winning a medal each in the same event (different games, of course). (9) Name the most successful Olympic bronze medalist that is who has won more bronze medals than everybody else without ever winning another medal. How many bronze medals did s/he win? (10) Name husband and wife winning a gold each within the same hour. (I consider that the most easy one among the difficult) (11) Name the largest nation (inhabitants) that has never yet won a single medal. (12) Name a royal gold medalist. (13) Name the athlete who has participated in more Olympic games than anybody else (and at how many?). After event cooling down easy exercise: Who has won more medals (any colour) than anybody else and how many? Wolfgang |
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08 Aug 04 - 10:41 PM (#1242887) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: mg don't know any of the answer although I might guess Norway for the most medals. There was an editorial in Portland Oregonian today about the team from Laos..they almost always finish last in their various events..mostly track I think..but they are facing enormous obstacles in terms of equipment, training etc. Also remember the Palestinian girl (girls?) who were running barefoot I think for lack of shoes..or bad shoes anyway. I hope some of them win. mg |
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09 Aug 04 - 12:00 PM (#1243257) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Blackcatter Sure wish they'd show the events I like on tv. |
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09 Aug 04 - 01:43 PM (#1243349) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: PoppaGator I opened the thread thinking I'd do well, know lots of answers. Boy was I ever wrong! I have answers I can offer with *some* confidence, for just two or three questions (including #1 of the first group). I'll keep 'em under my hat for now, rather than spoil things for anyone else -- I'm content just to wait for the answers! |
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09 Aug 04 - 01:53 PM (#1243355) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Ellenpoly So how long do we have to wait for the answers? Impatiently yours, Ellenpoly |
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09 Aug 04 - 03:04 PM (#1243417) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang I opened the thread thinking I'd do well, know lots of answers. The questions are really questions nobody ever thought about. If I hadn't collected them myself I wouldn't know the answer too. So how long do we have to wait for the answers? Till the end of the games of course. Actually, I shall give them to you any time you wish, but you could at least try to guess some (partial) answers: Largest country without any medal? How many times has the record holder taken part in Olympic games? Which sport could it be in which a man and his daughter can team and (nearly) did win a medal? Which country is the most succesful in per capita basis? Norway, BTW, is a very good guess for most successful country on per capita basis. It has the third rank. Wolfgang |
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09 Aug 04 - 03:07 PM (#1243419) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Don Firth Memory fails me, but I'll bet that Jesse Owens is the answer to a lot of the questions. Don Firth |
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09 Aug 04 - 03:28 PM (#1243436) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang I opened the thread thinking I'd do well, know lots of answers. The questions are really questions nobody ever thought about. If I hadn't collected them myself I wouldn't know the answer too. So how long do we have to wait for the answers? Till the end of the games of course. Actually, I shall give them to you any time you wish, but you could at least try to guess some (partial) answers: Largest country without any medal? How many times has the record holder taken part in Olympic games? Which sport could it be in which a man and his daughter can team and (nearly) did win a medal? Which country is the most succesful in per capita basis? Norway, BTW, is a very good guess for most successful country on per capita basis. It has the third rank. Wolfgang |
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09 Aug 04 - 05:05 PM (#1243508) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: PoppaGator This is from memory -- no research: Easy Warmups: 1) Mark Spitz, swimming, 7 golds (Munich '72) 4) I'd say hockey; the Canadians *probably* won the first Olympic hockey gold medal, as well as most of them since. If not -- figure skating? Almost undoubtedly a winter sport for their first gold (although Canada has won a respectable share of summer medals over the years.) Not-so-easy: 3) No idea, but winning over 6 Olympiads -- 24 years -- would be near-impossible in a sport requiring peak "youthful" physical condition, like swimming or track-and-field/athletics. Would have to be someone in shooting, equestrian, perhaps yachting -- or *maybe* a strenuous sport requiring strength but not necessarily speed and endurance, like weightlifting, wrestling, etc. I suppose that many of these questions regarding most-years, most-medals, etc., can be answered only by those with knowledge of these less athletic and generally less-widely-followed sports. However, I'm prepared to be surprised by this answer, and perhaps proven wrong. 4) I'd guess Australia or (2d guess) Finland. If the question specified Summer Olympics only, I'd be pretty sure of Australia, but including the Winter Games might make for a different answer. Many of the greatest powers in winter sports are nations with relatively small populations. Because of Finland's great distance-running *and* ski-jumping traditions, perhaps they've won enough, summer and winter, to earn this distinction. 7) American speed skater/bicycle racer Bonnie [forgot last name!!] 8) They are three male American bobsledders, if I'm not mistaken. The grandson's win was a big story here in the US during the last Winter Games, but I have no idea of the names. 10) Easy, you say? I'd *guess* the Connollys, back in the 1950s. Husband was an American hammer-thrower, wife was a shotputter, originally a medal winner for Czechoslovakia under her maiden name, who returned to the Olympics as American citizen Mrs. Connolly. 11) My guess: India 12) Prince Rainier of Monoco (?) Don: Jesse Owens was a great Olympian who not only performed under pressure in historically important circumstances, but also won about as many medals as possible (a) in track and field and (b) in one Olympiad. However, I would be surprised to see his name as the answer to any of these questions, because (a) several other sports offer more medal opportunities per individual, and (b) Jesse only competed in one Olympiad. Wolfgang: Good intriguing quiz, very tough. I'm intrigued that you included a question to which you admit not knowing the answer ("Easy Warmups"/Australia-New Zealand). I'm counting on you to know all the other answers! Why not reveal the answers when the '04 Games *begin* rather than waiting until they end? That will give us almost a week to guess and wait, which should be long enough! |
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10 Aug 04 - 02:41 AM (#1243815) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: The Fooles Troupe Well, looks like I'll be getting more time to practice the instruments now... :-) |
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10 Aug 04 - 03:56 AM (#1243837) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: GUEST Poppagator, you have a good memory. (1) easy: Of course, Mark Spitz is right for the first easy question. (4) easy: The Winter Games only started some decades after the Summer games, so it has to be a summer gold. (3) difficult: It is even more memorable than you think, for the WWII came in between the wins. The guy was 22 when he went to his first Olympics (1932) and came back with a gold. He was 50 when he went to his last Olympics (1960) and came back with a gold for 6 uninterrupted (except by the war) golds (your guess how many golds he would have taken without missing the 1940 and 1944 Olympics). You have not guessed his sport yet. You have to be very quick (in one sense of the word) in that sport. (4) diffucult: The idea with the Winter games is good (no real competition from Africa, Asia, South America, Southern Island), but you have no yet mentioned the country. (7) difficult: I hadn't thought of her at all. You remembering 'Bonnie' made me recollect 'Blair'. She is not the response (for she never won a summer medal though she did some good cycling) but you have hit the combination of the two sports (cycling, speed skating). (11) You are _very_ close (but India was/is brilliant in (field) hockey) Wolfgang |
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10 Aug 04 - 03:59 AM (#1243840) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang Yes, it was me. Wolfgang |
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10 Aug 04 - 07:17 AM (#1243924) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Splott Man Was it the Canadian 4 x 100 team (track & field)? |
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10 Aug 04 - 04:34 PM (#1244456) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: PoppaGator I'm going to try again on some of the questions I already tried -- no hope of getting any of the others. (4) easy -- If Canada won its first gold before the institution of the Winter Games, it could be *anything*. They had different events back in the old days. Standing high jump, maybe? (4) difficult -- if the correct answer is a country strong in both Winter and Summer Games, and it's not Finland or Norway, it's got to be Denmark. I also considered Sweden (but it's too populous) and Switzerland (not strong enough in Summer-Games events). UNLESS: Luxembourg is so small that one or two medals makes them the per-capita champion! (7) difficult -- If not Bonnie Blair, it's a *male* skater/cyclist -- probably an American, if my very vague memory means anything. Maybe with this hint, someone else can come up with a name. (8) difficult -- you didn't say anything about my answer; can we assume that my incomplete answer was essentially correct? (That is, that I would have been correct if I could have included the three gentlemen's names?) (11) If India was "_very_ close," I suppose the answer can only be Pakistan. If that's correct, thanks for the hint. PS: What about giving us the answers on Friday, on time for the Opening Ceremonies? |
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11 Aug 04 - 05:35 AM (#1244582) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang Sorry for being late, I had difficulties with my computer. OK, I'll post all responses in time for the opening ceremony. (4) easy: (The 'easy' is a big lie, BTW) You're closing in. It is track and fields and it is running and it is an event different from today's events. A type of running still done today, but with a different distance. (4) difficult: Yes, it is a country only known for winter sports, but it isn't among the many mentioned. Luxemburg comes very close (in one respect) (7) difficult: female skater/cyclist, European (8) difficult: You may be right, though I doubt that three generations of American 'bobbers' would win medals in that European dominated sport. The three that are in my mind have won their medals in a summer event. (11) difficult: The way you have read my hint was as it was meant but you took the wrong direction. Pakistan too is too good in Hockey. Pakistan is even closer than India to that country, but historically, not geographically. Wolfgang |
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11 Aug 04 - 05:48 AM (#1244588) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull 1-Mark Spitz? 2.Steve Redgrave? not sure about any others! |
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11 Aug 04 - 06:29 AM (#1244610) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang Yes, Sir John, Mark Spitz and Sir Steven Wolfgang |
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11 Aug 04 - 07:45 AM (#1244640) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Mary in Kentucky I googled and found the first three not-so-easy ones. I knew the Mark Spitz one, but that's all I knew! ************** 1. The most successful horse was the Soviets' Absent, who was ridden to four medals (a gold, a silver and two bronzes) over three different Games - 1960, 1964 and 1968. http://news.bbc.co.uk/solpda/ukfs_sport/hi/newsid_3899000/3899435.stm/ ************** 2. Paul Smart and Hilary H. Smart - Mr. Smart competed at the 1948 Olympics, where he won a gold medal in sailing as skipper of Hilarius, in the Star class. His father, Paul, was his crew. This team is the only father and son to win a gold medal in the same event in the same Olympic games. http://www.sandybay.org/obits/hilary_smart.shtml *************** 3. Aladar Gerevich (fencing) The only athlete ever to win medals at six Olympics, Gerevich is also the only athlete to win the same event six times. In 1952, at age 42, he collected one of each medal at the Helsinki games. In 1956 and 1960 he collected two more gold medals to bring his total medal count to 10. His skills in fencing remain legendary as he competed at the highest levels into his 50s. http://www.aarpmagazine.org/entertainment/Articles/a2004-05-20-mag-oldathletes.html I'm a little confused about this last one because I also found this: Rudolf Kárpáti (1920-2000) During his outstanding sabre fencing career, he won six Olympic games, of which two victories were gained in individual events. He competed in the colours of Vasas and Budapesti Honvéd. He was of the victorious type, as he only won gold medals in the Olympic Games. He gained the world champion's title in team seven times. In addition to fencing, he was a virtuoso violinist; he completed his violinist studies at the Hungarian Music Academy. http://www.magyarorszag.hu/angol/orszaginfo/sport/hiressportolok/atletaink_a.html |
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11 Aug 04 - 10:19 AM (#1244744) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang Mary, Absent is wrong though this horse is designated the most successful horse on some webpages. The most successful horse has won four gold medals and two more making it more successful than absent. The Smarts were unknown to me but look like correct responses. My father son pair did the same as these two but in a different sport. Gerevich is correct: the only winner of gold at six different Olympic Games! Karpati has won six golds but at 'only' four different games. Gerevich and Karpati have been together in the for some decades more or less invincible Hungarian sabre team. K. Pal is another member of that team who has won five successive golds making Hungary one of two nations with two athletes having won gold at five different games. Wolfgang |
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11 Aug 04 - 10:25 AM (#1244757) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang Mary, Absent is wrong though this horse is designated the most successful horse on some webpages. The most successful horse has won four gold medals and two more making it more successful than absent. The Smarts were unknown to me but look like correct responses. My father son pair did the same as these two but in a different sport. Gerevich is correct: the only winner of gold at six different Olympic Games! Karpati has won six golds but at 'only' four different games. Gerevich and Karpati have been together in the for some decades more or less invincible Hungarian sabre team. K. Pal is another member of that team who has won five successive golds making Hungary one of two nations with two athletes having won gold at five different games. Wolfgang |
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11 Aug 04 - 10:33 AM (#1244762) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: GUEST,Hugh Jampton International Questions:- 1) How many people have died and been injured building the facilities? 2) What were their nationalities? 3) What are the pay rates? 4) What are the living conditionslike? |
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11 Aug 04 - 10:46 AM (#1244776) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang Mary, Absent is wrong though this horse is designated the most successful horse on some webpages. The most successful horse has won four gold medals and two more making it more successful than absent. The Smarts were unknown to me but look like correct responses. My father son pair did the same as these two but in a different sport. Gerevich is correct: the only winner of gold at six different Olympic Games! Karpati has won six golds but at 'only' four different games. Gerevich and Karpati have been together in the for some decades more or less invincible Hungarian sabre team. K. Pal is another member of that team who has won five successive golds making Hungary one of two nations with two athletes having won gold at five different games. Wolfgang |
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11 Aug 04 - 11:15 AM (#1244799) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Mary in Kentucky Perhaps the horse is Marcroix. It appears from this link that he won four gold medals, 3 of which had the same rider. If it's on the net, it must be true. ;-) ************ Most gold medals (horse) Marcroix was ridden by Charles Pahud de Mortanges in three of his four medal rounds, 1928-32. http://www.djstexasstateofmind.homestead.com/EquestrianWorldRecords.html |
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11 Aug 04 - 11:28 AM (#1244809) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Mary in Kentucky Hugh, according to this site, the official death toll is 14, but probably higher. Do you have another link? ************ A BBC radio program found that there was evidence of poor safety standards at construction sites for the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games. According to a Greek union representative many workers have been killed – many more than the official death toll of 14. http://www.gamesbids.com/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?category=1&id=1090776772 |
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11 Aug 04 - 11:56 AM (#1244847) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: GUEST,Hugh Jampton Mary, well done, 70% and a pass. But joking aside, I think it is a disgrace that we are prepared to countenance such tragedies in the name of sport. |
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11 Aug 04 - 12:13 PM (#1244861) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang Marcroix is the most successfull three day event Olympic horse, not the most successful altogether. Wolfgang |
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11 Aug 04 - 02:57 PM (#1244986) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Mary in Kentucky Once again, the net doesn't lie... Most gold medals (horse) Rembrandt was ridden by Nicole Uphoff in all four of her medal winning rounds-- two individual titles and two team titles, both in 1988 and 1992. (link above) ***************** Most gold medals (horse) The most successful horse is Halla, ridden by Hans-Gunther Winkler during his individual and team wins in 1956, and during the team win in 1960. Guinness Book of World Records ************ I'm learning a bit about dressage and show jumping... |
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11 Aug 04 - 04:09 PM (#1245080) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang Both wrong. But Halla is still by far the most famous horse in Germany. Ask any German above fifty whether he recalls any name of a horse he'll say Halla. The Guinness Book of world records is wrong here. The other contender, Rembrandt, with four golds, was the correct response up to the last games in Sydney when another horse bettered the record. Wolfgang |
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11 Aug 04 - 04:16 PM (#1245087) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Ellenpoly I'd really like to know the answers before the Olympics start and I'll be otherwise engaged. Wolfgang, will you consider giving the answers to those who pm you and ask very politely? ..xx..e |
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11 Aug 04 - 05:03 PM (#1245135) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang PM sent. It was a pleasure. For the others: look here Friday Wolfgang |
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11 Aug 04 - 06:50 PM (#1245270) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang Each time I look there is one more post from me. That's a clear example of 'matter of mind'. Wolfgang |
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11 Aug 04 - 06:53 PM (#1245272) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang 'matter over mind' I did intend to post W. |
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11 Aug 04 - 07:05 PM (#1245286) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: PoppaGator Yikes! I received a PM from Wolfgang yesterday (most of the same message also appeared above as a post, more than once) in which he mentioned how much trouble he was having trying to post. Apparently, we was not getting any "feedback" indicating that the message had successfully posted, thus prompting him to try, try again. Looksa like things have gotten even further out of control since then. Can someone weed out all the duplications? Too bad technical difficulties have cropped up here -- this has been fun! |
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11 Aug 04 - 07:09 PM (#1245291) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang It's even worse, I'm not trying to post again for I clearly see my posts arriving. Two post, even three, that could be my mistake, but this orgy of posts is something which I don't know how to control. One more and I'll break the old Mudcat record of seven identical posts in the thread titled 'Rindacellar'. Wolfgang |
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11 Aug 04 - 09:47 PM (#1245398) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Mary in Kentucky OK, one last try on the horse... I'll say Gigolo. According to this link [http://equestrian.medianotes.com/reports/2000/stuttgart.htm] he won 5 medals (2 individual silver, 1 individual gold, 3 team golds). But the wording is hard for me to understand...appears to be a translation from the German ;-) Also to add to the confusion, I found another link on the net that said Gigolo only won 5 medals. I've really learned a lot about equestrian events, so I'll watch on Sunday, I think. (I've also learned to READ THE QUESTION and check the dates on the webpages.) |
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11 Aug 04 - 10:31 PM (#1245424) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Mary in Kentucky 4. Liechtenstein overall, according to this link 5. Paul Elvstrom and daughter Trine in sailing. link (I learned that sailing is the new name for yachting.) Whether these are correct or not, I've learned a lot about events I've never watched. I'll pay more attention this year. I think I stated once before that I'm really intrigued by athletes and their stories. Several years ago I watched them explain about "agressive rehabilitation." |
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12 Aug 04 - 05:31 AM (#1245615) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang Elvstrom, Liechtenstein and Gigolo are what I consider the correct responses to three questions. Wolfgang |
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12 Aug 04 - 12:48 PM (#1245944) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Mary in Kentucky I'm stuck on #6. That one and probably #8 are the hard ones for me. I look forward to the answers tomorrow. I probably won't have any more time to work on the quiz, unless late tonight. Wolfgang, do you care to make some predictions? 1. Where will the next Olympic Games be held? No, not Turin, Italy, the next ones. (Did London follow Athens once before?) 2. Who will light the torch this time? |
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12 Aug 04 - 12:51 PM (#1245950) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Mary in Kentucky Oops, London and Paris have both followed Athens. |
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12 Aug 04 - 03:23 PM (#1246083) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang (6) and (8) are Germans, most probably not known, though (6) is one of only five athletes so far winning gold at five different games. (6) is from my home town (Not that that helps much). (10) has a really famous name as the response. He was a world famous athlete who has won several golds, she, his wife, was not famous outside of their country. (12) The royal gold medalist was later king of his country. So long til tomorrow Wolfgang |
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12 Aug 04 - 04:05 PM (#1246120) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang Who will light the torch? The Greek once had a very surprisng female gold medalist (400 m hurdles???) She might be the one. Alternatively, the Greek football team (or their captain). Wolfgang |
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12 Aug 04 - 11:22 PM (#1246416) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Mary in Kentucky (6) I'll guess it's in an equestrian team event. (7) Christa Rothenburger (8) Don't know, but I also remember the American bobsledders Poppagator mentioned. (9) MOST BRONZE MEDALS WON 6 - Heikki SAVOLAINEN (Finland) -- but I don't know if s/he won other medals. (10) Don't know -- perhaps track and field event? (11) Don't know. (12) 2 that later became king, I suspect there were other royals. 1928 AMSTERDAM The Crown Prince Olav of Norway won gold medal as a member of the six-meter yacht event. In 1957 he became King of Norway and reigned for 34 years. 1960 ROME The Crown Prince Constantin of Greece wins a gold medal as a member of the dragon class sailing crew. To celebrate the victory, the future king was pushed into the water by his mother, Queen Frederika. (13) Several participated in 5 games... (14) Gymnast Nikolay Andrianov has a special place in Olympic history. He holds the male record for winning the most career medals in any sport (15). (but this is in one sport...is there someone with more medals?) Jenny Thompson, female, (10). *********** And now my question: What olympic gold medalist is/was my mother's distant cousin? (or so we always thought) Hint: He won the shot put in 1964. |
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13 Aug 04 - 07:57 AM (#1246691) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang My God, Mary, you have come very far answering my questions, and I have learned a couple of things I didn't know! My responses: Easy warmup (1): Mark Spitz of course, winning 7 swimming golds in 1972 (he might be surpassed these games by another American swimmer) (2) Steven Redgrave (UK, rowing), fourth athlete worldwide and first British who has won gold at five different games (3) I don't know the name, but when an Irishman got the 4th place in skeleton, in 2002, and came very close to the bronze, it was mentioned that this would have been the first ever Irish winter medal (it was mean to call this question easy) (4) 2500 m steeplechase (1900), George Orton (I found this at an obscure place and I only remembered it for the today funny distance; not, it isn't easy too) (5) don't know myself yet difficult: (1) Gigolo (rider: Isabell Werth), 4 gold, 2 silver, in altogether three games, dressage, team and single; the only horse so far to win three successive golds in the same event (dressage team) (2) My response is Alfred and Oscar Swahn (Sweden) who both won a gold together 1908 and 1912 in the single shot, running deer, team event: There are more correct responses as I have learned (3) Aladar Gerevich (sabre), personal hero. The guy was 22 when he went to his first Olympics (1932) and came back with a gold. He was 50 when he went to his last Olympics (1960) and came back with a gold for 6 uninterrupted (except by the war) golds (your guess how many golds he would have taken without missing the 1940 and 1944 Olympics). It is said that the Hungarians didn't want to take a 50 year old fencer to the 1960 games and that Gerevich challenged the Hungarian national team (the best in the world) and did beat all of them, one after the other.No other athlete yet has won gold at six different Games. German rider H.-G. Winkler is the only other athlete also to have won a medal at six different games, but at 'only' four games he won gold. German canoer Birgit Fischer, now 42, could equal that in Athens by winning at least one gold. She is so far the only female to have brought home at least one gold from each of her up to now five games. If the GDR hadn't boykotted the 1984 games she already would be on par with Gerevich. Why can I be so sure of that? She was in her prime then and was triple world champion in 1981, 1982, 1983, (no world championship in the Olympic year 1984), 1985, 1987 (she paused in 1986 for a child birth). She is the best ever German athlete by far. (4) Liechtenstein. If you look for the highest number of medals per inhabitants you can look for countries with many medals (these usually are large countries). But you can also look for countries with a small denominator (few inhabitants). Liechtenstein has 20,000 inhabitants. They are good in skiing and nothing else. Hanni and her brother Andreas Wenzel once were world class skiers and won 8 medals together. If the Wenzel family had not moved from Germany to Liechtenstein when the kids were small, Liechtenstein would only have one single bronze, putting it just in the middle class of that particular count. (5) Poul and his daughter Trine Elvstrom (Denmark) nearly won the Tornado (sailing) bronze in 1984 (6) Dr. Reiner Klimke (from my home town) won gold with Liselott Linsenhoff in the dressage team event in 1968 and with her daughter Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff in 1988. He is one of only five athletes winning gold at five different games. (7) Christa Rothenburger (GDR) in 1988 won gold in the speed skating 1000m and silver in the same year in the sprint of cycling. There may be more (bobsled in winter, track and fields in summer, but I don't know them) (8) Erwin Keller (Germany) won silver in 1936 with the German hockey team, his son Carsten won gold in hockey in 1972, his grandson Andreas won gold in 1992, again in hockey. There are several more three generation competitors, but these are the most successful I have found. (9) Harry Kirvesniemi, (Finland) won 6 bronze medals in cross country skiing and never another medal: (Savolainen won also gold and silver) (10) This should have been the easiest I thought and was completely wrong: Emil Zatopek and his wife Dana Zatopekova in 1952 won within the same hour in the same stadium, she the javelin, and he one of his three golds (I'd say 10,000m) of these games. They had married early that year. (11) Bangladesh (12) Crown Prince, later King Constantine of Greece, gold in the Dragon (sailing) in 1960. (the other response was new to me) (13) Hubert Raudaschl, Austrian sailor, competed without interruption in 10 games, from 1964 to 2000. He never won a gold in 10 attempts which is mentionable since he was world champion in his sport. His 36 years Olympic carreer by the way is not a record, for several athletes have a 40 year career (one fencer, three sailors, though all of them with interruptions. One of my candidates for the longest interruption is British shooter Cyril Mackworth-Praed who competed only twice, in 1924 and 1952. cooling down exercise: That should be easy but it isn't. It is actually difficult to find out who has won more medals than anybody else: Larissa Latynina (USSR, gymnastics) has won 9 gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze, 18 medals altogether (comparison: Carl Lewis, 9 gold, one silver, 10 medals; Andrianov: 15, 7 gold, 5 silver, 3 bronze; of the Athens competitors the best is: Birgit Fischer, 10, 7 gold, three silver). The question who has most golds (disregarding other medals) has more than one response: If the Olympic intermediate games of 1906 are counted then it is US-American Raymond Ewry who won 10 golds between 1900 and 1908 (standing long and high and triple jump) and never any other medal, poor guy. If the 1906 games are not counted (as most books do) then Carl Lewis and Mark Spitz tie with 9 golds each. Lewis has an additional silver, but Spitz has a silver and a bronze. That's it. Happy watching if you do. And have a look at female canoeing to see whether Birgit Fischer at now 42 will be able to equal Gerevich's record. If British rower Steven Redgrave would compete he could do the same, but I think this time he doesn't (though he is one month younger than Fischer). Wolfgang |
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13 Aug 04 - 04:25 PM (#1247012) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: PoppaGator Many thanks to Wolfgang. Now all we need is Mary from Kentucky's answer about her might-be-a-cousin. I won't pose these as questions, but I'd like to add a couple of Olympic-statistics anecdotes: One of my favorite American track-and-field (athletics) heroes while growing up was Al Oerter, a perennial gold medalist in the discus for three or four consecutive Olympics in the 50s and 60s. What I did not learn until much later was that Oerter was *not* a regular winner elsewhere, only at the Olympics. He never won the US Olympic Trials, always qualifying for the team as the 2d or 3d American, and he never won a World Championship during any non-Olympic year. But he somehow managed to come out on top when the Olympics came around. The one notable Olympian from my hometown of Plainfield, NJ, was decathlete Milt Campbell. He qualified for the Helsinki games as a high school kid (a football star and state champion hurdler) and won the bronze there in 1952. (The gold went to his American teammate, whose name currently escapes me.) I was only 5 years old at the time and not really aware of this. Four years later, at Melbourne, Milt won the decathlon gold; I was becoming interested in sports by then and followed his accomplishments closely. Sadly, despite earning recognition as "the world's greatest athlete," Milt was not able to capitalize on his championship in any way comparable to what became available to later decathlon winners, once TV coverage and sports promotion in general grew in influence. Medaling more than once in the Olympic decathlon is fairly rare; the event is so demanding that few athletes can maintain the requisite conditioning for as long as four years. One other world-class athlete with whom I had a connection of sorts was middle- and long-distance runner Marty Liquori, America's best miler for years before becoming the country's outstanding 5k runner. Marty was the first and (I think) still the only runner to break the four-minute mark in the mile while still in high school, at Essex Catholic HS in New Jersey. I participated in at least twenty high school cross-country and mile races that he won -- I was far back in the pack, myself, but one of my teammates consistently ran second to Marty and never lost to anyone else. Pretty frustrating. Marty Liquori, who is a fairly prominent sportscaster today, never won an Olympic medal and may never have participated in the Games at all, despite winning multiple world championships in at least two different events. He had terrible luck, and found himself injured every time the Olympiad came along. |
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14 Aug 04 - 11:47 AM (#1247580) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Mary in Kentucky PoppaGator, I made the hint so specific that it's easy to find Dallas Long. We also always assumed that a friend of mine was distantly related to Eric Flaim because at one time that surname was so extremely rare in the US. (Tyrol, Italy/Austria) |
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15 Aug 04 - 07:33 AM (#1247961) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: ard mhacha I am not being flippant or butting in here to spoil your Quiz Wolfgang, the 64,000 dollar question is, who was the last drug free athlete to win starting from the 100 meters to the marathon, sorry I had to bring this up, does anyone really take the games serious now?. We hear that the two star World and Olympic champions from Greece have been barred as they failed to turn up for a drug test and an Irish athlete has owned up to taking drugs, this won`t be the end of the story. And to think I listened in to the Radio broadcast from Mebourne in 1954, when Ronnie Dealeny defied the odds by winning Gold in the 1500 Meters, I don`t think Ronnie had to use stimulants all those years ago. A simple solution let all of the participants use whatever stimulant they need and let them take the consequences. |
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15 Aug 04 - 12:20 PM (#1248072) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang 1956, for I have listened too and in particular that run is the first ever Olympic reporting I remember, for our guy, Klaus Richtzenhain, came in second, both in front of ther Australian favourite. I was hooked since then. The last drug free run? In the good old times in the Tour de France they took arsenic in small doses. Even the ancient Olympics champions in Greece have taken something. I don't know how to deal with it. Wolfgang |
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15 Aug 04 - 05:23 PM (#1248185) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: GUEST John Landy was the Australian favourite, he finished third, Josy Barthel of Luxemburg who had won the 1500 mts in 1952 was also among the fancied runners, Josy became the first Luxemburger to win a gold medal, the national stadium in Luxemburg is named in his honour. |
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24 Aug 04 - 11:26 AM (#1255327) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang You may not have read in your newspapwers about her, for somehow I have the impression that all newspapers around the world think that only the own athletes' feats are worth reporting. So I tell you about her: Elisabeta Lipa (Romania) in Athens has equalled Steven Redgrave's rowing record. She will come home this time with her fifth rowing gold. Her record, however, was interrupted, since in 1988 she 'only' won bronze and silver. Altogether, that makes her the first female (two men have done that already) athlete to have won a medal at six different Olympic games. Wolfgang |
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24 Aug 04 - 05:20 PM (#1255631) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang Ludger Beerbaum (Germany) tonight will join the small number of quintuple gold medalists that is athletes who have won gold at five different Olympic games. He'll be the seventh (and third German) to do that. Wolfgang |
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24 Aug 04 - 05:34 PM (#1255657) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang I just have found that my response to who has wone most golds is not complete. Paavo Nurmi also ties for nine golds (but has more silver, 3, than either Lewis or Spitz). Wolfgang |
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27 Aug 04 - 05:38 PM (#1258484) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang She did it! She did it! Birgit Fischer at 42 has canoed to gold today to make this the sixth Olympic Games she returns from taking each time at least one gold. She's the first woman to do this and has equalled Gerevich's record (see question (3) above). She had "definitely" retired after Sydney. Eight months ago, a photographer asked her to mount(?) a canoe for some shots and suddenly she got the feeling she'd like to try it once more. About six months ago she restarted training. She was our all times best athlete already at Sydney. When asked this time about retirement she said she would make no promises this time. Well, she'll only be 46 next time... Speaking about oldtimers: Ard had mentioned Ron Delaney above. If I'm not mistaken (that runner, Eamon Coughlan?, and the rider, Eddie Maken??, were 'only' world champions, weren't they?) he was the last Irish male athlete to win a gold medal, nearly 50 years ago. From today on, he's no longer the last male Irish athlete to have won a gold. I've seen that unexpected Irish gold with a lot of pleasure. And please, don't wait 48 years for the next one, O.K.? Wolfgang |
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28 Aug 04 - 07:54 AM (#1258814) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: GUEST,Ard Mhacha Wolfgang I watched with joy young Cian O`Connor win his Gold last night. Population does count, I believe we can hold our head up with the rest, from 5 million people we have had more than our share of champions. Yes Eamon Coughlan was 5.000 Meters World Champion, and we also had two in a row World Cross Country Champion John Treacy this was in the 70s or 60s, and of Eddie Macken I couldn`t say for sure. I am just praying that young O`Connor`s horse,Waterford Crystal passes the drugs test,you never know. |
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28 Aug 04 - 07:57 AM (#1258815) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: GUEST John Treacy should read 70s or 80s, in Glasgow and Limerick. |
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28 Aug 04 - 07:17 PM (#1259167) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang Ard, you are right, if you take population into account the picture changes a lot. Medals per capita (don't know whether these games are already included in that site where I copied the numbers from): France ranked 41st, USA 45th, Great Britain 48th, Ireland 49th Ireland is in that per capita count better than average (116 listed and many more nations without any medal at all) and is in quite prominent neighbourhood. (I'm sure you know some medal winners listed under 'Great Britain' you'd prefer to count under 'Ireland', but to be fair you'd then also have to increase the number of inhabitants of Ireland. However, that's not a good theme for a sports thread) Wolfgang |
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29 Aug 04 - 07:39 AM (#1259402) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: GUEST Irish born winners have represented GB,USA, and South Africa, the latter was a marathon runner from memory around 1912, I haven`t looked up the Mongolian records yet, you never can tell. |
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29 Aug 04 - 08:33 AM (#1259414) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: GUEST,Ard Mhacha Wolfgang in addition to the above note I googled on to Irish Records in Olympics and a very informative sight gave the Irish born participants who represented various nations in the Games, this was before 1924 when Ireland was affiliated to the Games. The countries they represented were Britain, USA, Canada,and South Africa winning a total of 24 Gold medals. Look up the early games and you will find the Hammer event was completely taken over by Irishmen representing the USA, the oul memory is still working that Marathon winner was a County Antrim man named Kennedy McArthur. The 49th placing would rocket up if you included the above winners. |
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09 Oct 04 - 12:53 PM (#1293193) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: GUEST,Ard Mhacha Further up the Thread I had written, "I am just praying that young O`Connor`s horse Waterford Crystal, passes the drug test", [many a true word said in jest], well, it was revealed this week that Waterford Crystal tested positive for drugs, nil medals for Ireland. |
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22 Aug 08 - 07:06 AM (#2419974) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang Some of the above trivia questions now have a different response. Just to add a bit of (German) trivia: Our most successful ever athlete, above mentioned Birgit Fischer (gold at six different Olympic games), had declared last spring she would not compete this time. Such a pity, as she's only 46 years of age now. But of course she was in Peking, commenting today the final in which she did win gold last time. She could congratulate her niece, Fanny Fischer (25 years younger than herself), with three others for the gold. This is as far as I know the first aunt-niece pair winning gold at the same event at two immideately successive games. Wolfgang |
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22 Aug 08 - 07:20 AM (#2419978) Subject: RE: BS: Olympics trivia quiz From: Wolfgang A new trivia question for afficionados: Who is the most medalled athlete never adding a gold to a collection of silver and bronze? And how many Olympic S&B can (s)he call his/her own? Wolfgang |