[For Seniors] Olympic Trivia Quiz & Fun Facts. Enjoy learning with multiple-choice questions

Sapporo

The 1972 Sapporo Olympics was a milestone Winter Olympics, held for the first time in Japan and in Asia. It is also known for the theme song “Niji to Yuki no Ballad” by Toi et Moi becoming a major hit. In the ski jumping events, Japanese athletes, led by Yukio Kasaya, swept the podium and thrilled the nation as the “Hinomaru Hikotai” (the Rising Sun Flying Team).

You can identify the type of medal just by touching it.

The medals for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games feature round indentations on their edges so that people with visual impairments can tell which medal it is by touch. The gold medal has one indentation, the silver medal has two, and the bronze medal has three—a brilliant example of universal design that allows the type of medal to be identified simply by feeling it with one’s fingertips.

five

At the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021, five new sports were added: karate, skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing, and baseball/softball. In particular, the inclusion of karate, a traditional Japanese martial art, and skateboarding, which is popular among younger generations, drew attention, and Japanese athletes won many medals, becoming a major topic of conversation.

medal

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, held in 2021, an initiative called the “Everyone’s Medal Project: Creating Medals from Urban Mines!” was carried out. Used mobile phones and small electronic devices provided from all over Japan were collected, and approximately 5,000 gold, silver, and bronze medals awarded at the Games were made using recycled metals extracted from them. This environmentally friendly and groundbreaking project, which allowed the public to directly participate in creating the medals, drew significant attention from around the world.

Five continents

The Olympic symbol, the five-ring emblem, consists of five interlocking rings in blue, yellow, black, green, and red. These represent the five continents—Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania—and express the idea that people around the world connect and unite peacefully through sports. This design was conceived by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games.

72 years old

The oldest medalist in Olympic history is Sweden’s Oscar Swahn, who competed at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics. He won a silver medal in the team shooting event at the remarkable age of 72 years and 280 days. He made his Olympic debut at 60 and won a gold medal, continuing to compete at a high level for many years thereafter. His perseverance in challenging the world’s top level even as he aged gives us great courage and hope.

horse

The only Olympic event in which animals participate is equestrian. Equestrian is a sport where the human athlete and the horse become one to compete in skill and beauty, and it is the only special event in the Olympics in which athletes participate together with animals. It’s truly moving to see the horse and rider build a deep bond of trust and, through communication that goes beyond words, clear obstacles or perform graceful steps.