Special Sub-Topic: Olympic Games 1896 to 1904 Click Here To Play: Olympic Games 1896 to 1904

The first Games of the modern era were held in which city?

Athens. Baron Pierre de Coubertin, a Frenchman, was the driving force behind the establishment of the modern Olympic Games. The first modern Olympic Games were held in the home country of the Ancient Olympics, Greece.

How many nations competed in the first Olympics of the modern era?

13. Only thirteen countries competed in these first games. Ten of them won medals, with the USA winning the most 'gold medals': 11, followed by the host country, Greece, with 10. In these early Games, however, only the first two placings received medals: silver for first and bronze for second.

The very first Marathon race ever run in an athletic competition took place in these Games. What country was the winner from?

Greece. The winner's name was Spyridon 'Spryros' Louis, and he was a Greek shepherd. The distance is believed to have been 40km, slightly shorter than a modern marathon. Louis won in 2hr 58min, nearly eight minutes ahead of the second placegetter.

The Games of the second Olympiad in 1900 were held where?

Paris. They were originally scheduled to be held in Athens again, but Baron de Coubertin won agreement from the International Olympic Committee to hold the Games as part of the Paris Universal Exposition, a world fair.

How many nations competed in the second Olympic Games, in 1900?

22. France won most gold medals: 27. Twelve women competed in these Games, the first time women were allowed.

One of the following sports was NOT added to the Olympic programme for the 1900 Games?

Boxing. Boxing didn't made its debut until 1904. Archery, Cricket, Croquet, Golf, Polo, Rugby and Rowing were also added in 1900.

In which event did Ray Ewry of the U.S.A. NOT win a gold medal in 1900?

Pole vault. Ewry won three gold medals in 1900, three more in 1904 and two in 1908, all in the now discontinued standing jump events. The man who came second in all three of these events in 1900, Irving Baxter (U.S.A.) did win the pole vault that year.

The Games of the third Olympiad in 1904 were held where?

St Louis. At the request of President Theodore Roosevelt, these Games were awarded to St Louis to coincide with the World's Fair being held in that city.

Third Olympiad in 1904: unsurprisingly, since 85% of the competitors were from the U.S.A., that country won 81 of the 100 events contested. How many countries attended?

13. Thirteen countries, the same number as in the 1896 Games, competed, and ten won medals, also the same as 1896. The journey from Europe to the U.S.A. was just too arduous in those days for many people to get there.

Which of the following sports (not previously included in the Olympic programme) was added to the 1904 Games?

Boxing. Cricket, Polo and Rugby had been added in 1900, but none are still an Olympic sport. Boxing, despite its controversies over the years, still is.