50 Olympic trivia questions with answers

Olympic questions for a watch party, a quiz night or an Olympic-year class, for players from about 10: the ancient Games, the rings and torch, Summer legends, a full Winter Olympics round and the cities hosting next. Each of the five sections makes a round, and every answer links to its source.

The next Olympics open in Los Angeles on Friday 14 Jul 2028 and close on 30 Jul. Source: Wikipedia

50 questions · Olympic trivia questions with answers · answers included

Updated 29 Oct 2026

The ancient Games

1
What prize did a winner at the ancient Olympic Games receive?

easy

Answer
An olive leaf wreath.
The olive crown later became a symbol of peace.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Olympic_Games?oldid=1381347616
2
To what year are the very first ancient Olympic Games traditionally dated?

medium

Answer
776 BC.
Aristotle worked out this date, and most later ancient historians accepted it.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Olympic_Games?oldid=1381347616
3
According to the ancient writer Pausanias, what was the only event held at the earliest Olympics?

medium

Answer
The stadion, a sprint of about 190 meters.
Later Greeks often named each Olympiad after the winner of this race.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Olympic_Games?oldid=1381347616
4
Why was a truce announced during the ancient Olympic Games?

medium

Answer
Safety, so athletes and pilgrims could travel to the Games.
It did not stop every war in Greece; it only promised safe passage.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Olympic_Games?oldid=1381347616
5
A huge gold-and-ivory statue of Zeus stood at the home of the ancient Games. On which famous list was it counted?

medium

Answer
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The sculptor Pheidias created it.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Olympic_Games?oldid=1381347616
6
Which runner from the city of Elis is traditionally named the first Olympic champion?

hard

Answer
Coroebus.
A later star, Leonidas of Rhodes, won three different running races.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Olympic_Games?oldid=1381347616
7
Which wrestler from Croton was a legendary six-time ancient Olympic winner?

hard

Answer
Milo.
He won once as a boy and five more times in the men's event.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Olympic_Games?oldid=1381347616
8
Under which Roman emperor were the last recorded ancient Olympic Games held, in AD 393?

hard

Answer
Theodosius I.
Archaeologists have found signs that some games carried on after that date.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Olympic_Games?oldid=1381347616

The modern Games and their symbols

9
Which French baron founded the International Olympic Committee in 1894?

easy

Answer
Pierre de Coubertin.
The founding congress met in June 1894 at the Sorbonne in Paris.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Games?oldid=1381320135
10
The Olympic motto is the Latin phrase Citius, Altius, Fortius. What does it mean in English?

easy

Answer
Faster, Higher, Stronger.
It was first used at the Paris Games of 1924.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_symbols?oldid=1374994873
11
In which Greek town is the Olympic flame lit before every Games?

easy

Answer
Olympia.
A torch relay then carries it to the host city's cauldron.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_flame?oldid=1378550304
12
In 2021, which English word did the IOC add to the end of the Olympic motto?

medium

Answer
Together.
Some Latin scholars complained that the new Latin word was a poor fit.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_symbols?oldid=1374994873
13
Name the colors of the Olympic rings.

medium

Answer
Blue, yellow, black, green and red.
With the white background, the colors were meant to include one from every national flag.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_symbols?oldid=1374994873
14
At the lighting ceremony, what lights the Olympic flame?

medium

Answer
The Sun, its rays focused by a parabolic mirror.
Actresses dressed as priestesses perform the ceremony at the Temple of Hera.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_flame?oldid=1378550304
15
At which Summer Games did the Olympic torch relay begin?

medium

Answer
Berlin, in 1936.
The first relay used 3,331 runners over twelve days and eleven nights.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_flame?oldid=1378550304
16
In which city were the first official Paralympic Games held, in 1960?

medium

Answer
Rome.
About 400 athletes from 23 countries took part.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paralympic_Games?oldid=1381321403
17
At the 1896 Athens Games, what kind of medal did each event winner receive?

hard

Answer
A silver medal, with an olive branch.
Runners-up got a copper or bronze medal and a laurel branch.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_medal?oldid=1367923365
18
At Stockholm 1912, the man who revived the Olympics won a gold medal himself. In what?

hard

Answer
Literature, for his poem Ode to Sport.
That was the first time arts competitions were part of the Games.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_de_Coubertin?oldid=1373187767

Summer Games legends

19
Which Jamaican sprinter won both the 100 and 200 meters at Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016?

easy

Answer
Usain Bolt.
He also ran the 100 meter world record of 9.58 seconds in 2009.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usain_Bolt?oldid=1381967269
20
At London 2012, which American swimmer became the most decorated Olympian of all time, leaving those Games with 22 medals?

easy

Answer
Michael Phelps.
He finished his Olympic career at Rio 2016 with 28 medals.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Summer_Olympics?oldid=1370167203
21
Which American gymnast won the Olympic all-around title at Rio 2016 and again at Paris 2024?

easy

Answer
Simone Biles.
Through Paris 2024, her 11 Olympic medals were the most by any US gymnast.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simone_Biles?oldid=1378081884
22
At Munich 1972, which American swimmer won seven gold medals, each in world-record time?

medium

Answer
Mark Spitz.
Counting the 1968 Games too, he won 9 Olympic golds.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1972_Summer_Olympics?oldid=1377029188
23
At the 1960 Summer Games, which American sprinter won three gold medals on the track?

medium

Answer
Wilma Rudolph.
She was the first American woman to win three track and field golds at one Games.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_Summer_Olympics?oldid=1371702114
24
At London 2012, which 15-year-old American surprised everyone by winning the 800 meter freestyle?

medium

Answer
Katie Ledecky.
Through Paris 2024 she had won 14 Olympic medals, 9 of them gold.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katie_Ledecky?oldid=1376050476
25
At Mexico City 1968, which American smashed the long jump world record with a leap of 8.90 meters?

medium

Answer
Bob Beamon.
His record stood for almost 23 years, until Mike Powell broke it in 1991.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Beamon?oldid=1371522011
26
At Stockholm 1912, which American won Olympic gold in both the pentathlon and the decathlon?

hard

Answer
Jim Thorpe.
In 2022 the IOC restored him as the sole champion in both events.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1912_Summer_Olympics?oldid=1381792985
27
At Montreal 1976, Nadia Comaneci earned the first perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics. How many more perfect 10s did she earn at those same Games?

hard

Answer
6.
She left Montreal with three gold medals.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadia_Com%C4%83neci?oldid=1379227350
28
At the 1960 Summer Games, an 18-year-old boxer named Cassius Clay, later Muhammad Ali, won gold. In which weight class?

hard

Answer
Light heavyweight.
He turned professional later that same year.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ali?oldid=1382161902

The Winter Olympics

29
In which Olympic sliding sport do racers ride face-down and head-first?

easy

Answer
Skeleton.
It is the slowest of the three Olympic sliding sports.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeleton_(sport)?oldid=1357389621
30
Which 1993 Disney movie was inspired by Jamaica's bobsled team at the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympics?

easy

Answer
Cool Runnings.
A team from a tropical island in a snow sport made the crowd fall in love with them.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaica_national_bobsleigh_team?oldid=1367616894
31
The Olympic sport of luge takes its name from a French word. What does the word mean?

medium

Answer
A small coasting sled.
A racing sled for one rider weighs 21 to 25 kilograms.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luge?oldid=1380959883
32
A four-person bobsled carries a pilot, two pushers and which other rider?

medium

Answer
The brakeman.
Crews once had five or six riders before being cut to two or four in the 1930s.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobsleigh?oldid=1375633331
33
At Lake Placid 1980, which American speed skater won five individual gold medals?

medium

Answer
Eric Heiden.
He also delivered the Athlete's Oath at those Games.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_Winter_Olympics?oldid=1378179219
34
Until 1992, the Summer and Winter Games were held in the same year. Which Winter Games were the first held in a different year?

medium

Answer
The 1994 Winter Olympics, in Lillehammer, Norway.
Since then the Winter Games have come two years after each Summer Games.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Olympic_Games?oldid=1376929654
35
Through Milan Cortina 2026, which country leads the all-time Winter Olympics medal table?

medium

Answer
Norway.
Counting East and West Germany together would put Germany on top instead.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Olympic_Games?oldid=1376929654
36
Which sport made its first Winter Olympics appearance at Milan Cortina 2026?

medium

Answer
Ski mountaineering.
Milan Cortina 2026 had 116 events in 8 sports.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Winter_Olympics?oldid=1376836261
37
Which animal inspired the two mascots of Milan Cortina 2026?

medium

Answer
The stoat.
The pair, named Tina and Milo, were designed by school students in Taverna.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Winter_Olympics?oldid=1376836261
38
At St. Moritz 1928, which 15-year-old Norwegian won the women's figure skating title?

hard

Answer
Sonja Henie.
She won the title again in 1932 and 1936.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1928_Winter_Olympics?oldid=1349986799
39
Two days after the Miracle on Ice at Lake Placid 1980, which team did the US beat to win the hockey gold?

hard

Answer
Finland.
Defenseman Ken Morrow won the Stanley Cup that same year.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_on_Ice?oldid=1382277698
40
At Milan Cortina 2026, which Italian city's historic arena hosted the closing ceremony?

hard

Answer
Verona.
The opening ceremony was held at Milan's San Siro stadium.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Winter_Olympics?oldid=1376836261

Host cities, past and next

41
The Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics were postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In what year were they held?

easy

Answer
2021.
It is the only time the Games have been postponed, though some earlier Games were canceled.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Summer_Olympics?oldid=1379455533
42
Which Australian city will host the 2032 Summer Olympics?

easy

Answer
Brisbane.
It will be Australia's third Olympics, after Melbourne and Sydney.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2032_Summer_Olympics?oldid=1382371887
43
Which country will host the 2030 Winter Olympics?

easy

Answer
France.
It will be the seventh Olympics that country has hosted, Summer and Winter together.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2030_Winter_Olympics?oldid=1382358487
44
Which US state will host the 2034 Winter Olympics?

medium

Answer
Utah, centered on Salt Lake City.
The IOC awarded those Games in July 2024, during a meeting in Paris.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2034_Winter_Olympics?oldid=1380112725
45
Los Angeles will host the Summer Games in 2028. In which two earlier years did it host them?

medium

Answer
1932 and 1984.
The 1984 Games were the first to make a profit, thanks to corporate sponsors.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2028_Summer_Olympics?oldid=1382386800
46
Before Los Angeles 2028, which two cities had each hosted the Summer Olympics three times?

medium

Answer
London (1908, 1948, 2012) and Paris (1900, 1924, 2024).
Los Angeles will be the first three-time host outside Europe.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2028_Summer_Olympics?oldid=1382386800
47
Which two sports will make their Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028?

medium

Answer
Flag football and squash.
Cricket also returns, for the first time since 1900.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2028_Summer_Olympics?oldid=1382386800
48
Which city is the first to have hosted both a Summer and a Winter Olympics?

medium

Answer
Beijing.
The same stadium held the opening and closing ceremonies of both Games.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Winter_Olympics?oldid=1378579901
49
The Paris 2024 mascots were shaped like which kind of hat?

medium

Answer
A Phrygian cap.
It is the cap worn by Marianne, a symbol of France since the French Revolution.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Games?oldid=1381320135
50
Australia's strict quarantine rules kept which events of the Melbourne 1956 Games out of the country, so they were held in Stockholm?

hard

Answer
The equestrian (horse riding) events.
Those Games were the first held in the Southern Hemisphere.
Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1956_Summer_Olympics?oldid=1381210547

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