8 Facts To Make You An Olympic Know-It-All

Come August 5, the whole world will unanimously tune in to catch new records broken, bathe in athletic splendour and witness the birth of champions.

Taking place in Rio, this marks the first South American country to host the Games. But that’s not enough to ensure that you’re the most interesting person at that opening ceremony viewing party!

Here are 8 things you should probably know about the Olympics:

1. History lesson

The Olympic Games were initially celebrated as a religious festival to honour Father of the Greek gods, Zeus, which until 393 A.D when they were banned for being a pagan festival.

However in the late 1800s, Baron Coubertin fought for its resurgence as he thought physical education would be able to save his country from military humiliation.

2. Run free

Jerseys and running shoes were almost unheard off during the early Olympics especially since participants competed mostly nude.

Yes, competitors had to strut around in the buff, and oiled themselves for both looks and a tribute to the gods.

3. Winners

Back in the day, instead of a gold medal, a victor received a crown made from olive leaves, and was eligible to have a statue of himself made. Apart from that, the victor was pretty much treated like a modern-day celebrity.

4. Raining men

Women were not allowed to compete until the 1900 Paris Games, which included women’s events in lawn tennis and golf, after a rival Women’s Olympics was held.

5. Age is just a number

Being 60 was no hurdle for Swedish shooting expert Oscar Swahn when he won his first gold medal in 1908. He then moved on to the Antwerp Games where he won a silver medal at the age of 72.

6. Keep an eye out

During the opening ceremony, observe how the American athletes do not dip their flag as they pass the host country’s dignitaries.

Why? Well, it all started in the London 1908 Games when American shot-putter Ralph Rose, who was of Irish ancestry, supposedly proclaimed, “This flag dips for no earthly king.”

7. Sport qualification

In case you’re wondering why some of our local sports haven’t made it to the Olympics, apparently in order for a sport to be included in the Olympics it must be practised by men in 75 countries on at least four continents and by women in 40 countries on at least three continents.