Great Britons at the Olympic Games Quiz

Answer: Greg Searle

Matt Pinsent took gold with Steve in the double sculls at Barcelona, 1992 and Atlanta 1996 (Britain's only gold at Atlanta), and in the coxless four at Sydney 2000. James Cracknell also won gold with Steve in the coxless fours at Sydney 2000, (and won gold in the same event at Athens in 2004 although Steve Redgrave had retired from Olympic competition by then). Martin Cross won gold with Steve as a part of the coxed fours team at Los Angeles in 1984. Greg Searle won gold in the coxed pairs at Barcelona in 1992 with his brother Jonny and cox Garry Herbert.

Herbert was famously seen becoming overcome with emotion at the medal ceremony. He won the hearts of the nation as tears ran down his face during the national anthem.

Answer: True

The US team took 12 of the 13 mens gold medals competed for in the pool but Scotsman David Wilkie pooped their party by winning the 200 metres Breaststroke in a new world record time, beating David Hencken of the USA into second place. Poor Hencken, he too beat the existing world record for the event but still came in more than a second behind the flying Scot.

This was sweet revenge for Wilkie who had lost to Hencken in the 100 metres breaststroke by a margin of 0.2 of a second.

Answer: Harold Abrahams

Abrahams and Liddell were the subject of the 1981 movie "Chariots of Fire". The movie primarily focused on Abrahams' rivalry with Scottish sprinter Eric Liddell (who refused to run on Sunday due to religious beliefs). Abrahams won the 100 metres beating American Charlie Paddock into second place.

In third place was Arthur Porritt, who later became the Governer General of New Zealand. The race took place at 7 PM on 7 July, and after the race Abrahams and Porritt had dinner together. Every year thereafter, Abrahams and Porritt would meet at 7 PM on 7 July for dinner. One other item of interest is that when, in 1954, Roger Bannister became the first man ever to run a four minute mile, Harold Abrahams was the official timekeeper.

Answer: Sarajevo

Jayne and Chris performed their famous "Bolero" routine, for which they received nine perfect 6.0 marks for artistic impression, to sweep to victory at the 1984 winter games. They didn't defend their title in 1988, but returned to the winter Olympics again in 1994. In one of the closest ever ice dance competitions they were edged out into the bronze medal position.

Answer: Matthew Pinsent

Matt Pinsent was the flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2000 games in Sydney and then won gold in the men's coxless four rowing event. Sebastian Coe, Linford Christie and Mary Peters all won gold medals in their respective events at different Olympics, but were never the flag bearer at the opening ceremony. Sebastian Coe was, however, the flag bearer at the closing ceremony in the 1984 games in Los Angeles

Answer: Princess Anne

Princess Anne represented Britain in equestrianism as part of the Three Day Event team. She was the only female participant at the games who was not required to submit to a gender test. Her husband at that time, Mark Philips, had previously won gold for Great Britain in the Three Day Event competition at the Munich Games in 1972.

Prince Phillip (the Queen's husband) was for many years a keen carriage racer and Prince Charles was a champion polo player, but neither sport was an Olympic event when they were active participants. The Duchess of Kent is a keen tennis player, but not of any particular note. However, she is a Patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club which hosts the annual Wimbledon tournament and has often presented the trophies for the men's and women's singles.

Answer: 3rd

Christie finished the race in third place behind Ben Johnson of Canada and Carl Lewis of USA. However, Johnson was disqualified after failing a post-race doping test. Johnson was stripped of his gold medal and Lewis was promoted to first place. Christie was promoted to second place and Calvin Smith (USA) who had originally finished fourth was promoted to the bronze medal position. Christie went on to win the 100 metres at the 1992 Games in Barcelona, becoming only the third Briton to achieve gold in this event after Harold Abrahams (Paris 1924) and Allan Wells (Moscow 1980).

Answer: Daley Thompson

The flamboyant and often provocative Decathlon winner and world record holder, Daley Thompson, wore a tee shirt which bore the slogan "Is the world's second greatest athlete really gay? It didn't mention Lewis by name, but it was clearly aimed at the American who Thompson considered an inferior athlete to him. Thompson treated it all as a big joke at the time, but often his behaviour irritated people. At the medal presentation ceremony at Los Angeles he appeared bored by it all and whistled insouciantly during the playing of the British national anthem. At the Commonwealth Games in 1982 he refused the offer to be the flag bearer at the opening ceremony, claiming that taking part in the ceremony would leave him tired and reduce his chances of winning his event.

Tessa Sanderson (gold medal in the women's javelin) was too nice a person to ever upset anybody. Steve Ovett left the games suffering from respiratory illness. He collapsed on the track in the last lap of the 1500 metres final and was taken away on a stretcher.

Zola Budd was branded as the villain (she was jeered by the crowd) in the Mary Decker-Slaney incident where the American favourite in the women's 3000 metres, who was BEHIND Budd, fell over when she collided with Budd for the third time; and then attempted to claim that she had been tripped (from in front?) by Budd. Furthermore, an IAAF jury exonerated Budd from any wrong doing (she wasn't responsible). Decker did not finish the race, and Budd finished seventh.
Controversy indeed.

Answer: Anita Lonsborough

Swimmer Anita Lonsborough was the flag bearer for Great Britain at the Tokyo Games of 1964, the first British female to achieve the honour. She had previously won gold in the pool at Rome 1960. Kate Howey, a double medallist in Judo, was flag bearer at Athens in 2004. Mary Peters (gold medal in the Pentathlon, Munich 1972) and Sally Gunnell (400 metres hurdles gold, Barcelona 1992) were never chosen to be flag bearer at an opening ceremony. Lucinda Green (equestrianism) at Los Angeles 1984 has also been an opening ceremony female flag bearer.

Answer: They were all Irish

Although Great Britain is recognised as having participated in every Olympics of the modern era, the British Olympic Committee didn't formally send a team to St Louis. Keily, Holloway and Daley were all Irishmen who initially entered the games to represent Ireland. However, at that time, the whole of Ireland was a part of Great Britain and therefore the IOC would only allow them to participate as the officially recognised team of Great Britain.

More controversy which did nothing to soothe the very tense Anglo / Irish situation of the time.