Olympics Facts

Tug of War was an Olympic event between 1900 and 1920.

Scientists from IBM Research in Zurich and the University of Warwick synthesized a molecule named 'Olympicene' that mimics the shape of the Olympic logo.

In the 1930's, American track star Jesse Owens used to race against horses and dogs to earn a living.

Tim Duncan trained for the Olympics as a teenager. He was one of the best young swimmers in the country. His sister Tricia had already swum at the 1988 Olympics. Then Hurricane Hugo hit St. Croix in 1989 and destroyed the island's only Olympic-size pool. The only place left to train was the open ocean, and Duncan was terrified of sharks. He quit swimming, picked up basketball at 14, and became a five-time NBA champion.

The 1904 Olympic Marathon in St. Louis had one water station for the entire 25-mile course. The first man across the finish line had ridden in a car for 11 miles. The actual winner was fed strychnine and brandy by his trainers and was hallucinating at the finish. A South African runner was chased a mile off course by wild dogs. Only 14 of 32 runners finished.

When Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo won two gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, his country went all out. He received a $550,000 fully furnished condo, $350,000 in government cash, lifetime free buffets, a lifetime supply of ramen and chicken, two café franchises, a Land Cruiser, and free flights for life. Total haul: over $2.6 million.

Geena Davis picked up a bow at 41 after watching the 1996 Olympics. She had no background in competitive sports. She practiced up to six hours a day. Two years later, she made the semifinals of the U.S. Olympic trials for Sydney 2000. About 300 women competed for a team spot.