7 Fun Facts About the Olympics You Probably Didn’t Know

The Olympics features some of the most challenging games in the world, with top athletes competing from around the world. Countless hurdles and many back-to-back competitions later, three people make it to the top of every game.

The 2022 Winter Olympics have just ended, which means there’s ample time for you to prepare for the next. And if you’re just an Olympics fan and not an athlete, there may be some things you probably didn’t know about the Olympics. Here are seven fun facts about the Olympics you should know:

1. Gold Medals are Made of Silver

Despite how we want to believe that the gold medals are purely made of gold, this hasn’t been true since the Olympics of 1912. The gold medals used today just feature 6 grams of gold, and the rest is all silver.

An Olympic gold medal weighs 556 grams, and based on the current market price, it would cost about $32,000 if it was made out of pure gold!

2. The Torch Relay Isn’t an Ancient Tradition

Most people believe that the torch relay has probably been a norm ever since the Olympics began. Whereas in reality, this tradition’s roots go back to the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

According to the Chief Director of the Olympic Games back then, Carl Diem, this was all propaganda taken for the Nazi Party to show off the “supposed” superiority of the Aryan race.

3. Only Three Modern Games Have Been Canceled Yet

Ever since the Olympics began, only three games have ever been canceled, the reasons being: 1916 (World War I), 1940 and 1944 (World War II).

4. At Least One of the Olympics Ring Colors Appears on Every National Flag

Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the five-ring symbol of the Olympics Movement. He specifically chose the five colors (blue, yellow, green, black, and red) because at least one of them appears in every national flag of countries all over the world.

5. Athletes Competed in the Nude During Ancient Olympics Games

The word “gymnasium” is rooted in the Greek word “gymnos,” which means nude. The literal translation of the word gymnasium is “the school for naked exercise.”

6. Only Five Countries Have Been Represented at Each Modern-Era Summer Olympics

Five countries have been represented at almost every modern-era summer Olympics game. These include: Greece, France, Great Britain, Australia, and Switzerland.

7. Two People Have Won Gold Medals in the Summer and Winter Olympics

Eddie Eagan and Gillis Grafstrom are the only two people who won gold medals in both the Summer and Winter Olympics. Grafstrom from Sweden won a gold medal for figure skating in the 1920 Summer Olympics and 1924 and 1928 Winter Olympics. Eagan has a gold medal from the 1920 Summer Games for boxing and one from the 1932 Lake Placid Winter Games for bobsled events.

How Many of These facts Did You Know?

These are just some fun facts we had in stock for you that you probably didn’t know. If you’re intrigued to learn more about the Olympics and what it takes to be an elite athlete, head to my website.

I am Akwasi Frimpong, Ghana’s first Skelton Olympic athlete. I had the privilege to be the first-ever person to represent my country at the 2018 Winter Olympics in the skeleton event. Today, I am also an entrepreneur and a motivational speaker.

Visit my website to learn more.