Memorize these and recognize 26.3% of all Olympics clues.
| # | Answer | Count | Sample Clue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | the decathlon | 12 | 1904: Thomas Kiely, with 6,036 points; 2000: Erki Nool, with 8,641 |
| 2 | the marathon | 11 | In 1984 Joan Benoit of the U.S. was the first to win this new event |
| 3 | Berlin | 9 | 1936 summer games (Marty Glickman was pulled from the U.S. team) |
| 4 | rhythmic gymnastics | 8 | Be unbelievably proficient with a rope, hoop, ball, clubs & ribbon |
| 5 | Greece | 7 | In the 2004 opening ceremonies a sole member of this team opened the parade of nations; the rest of his team closed it |
| 6 | Eric Heiden | 6 | Before Michael Phelps in 2008, he was the last American to win 5 individual golds in one Olympics; he did it at Lake Placid |
| 7 | the pole vault | 6 | 19 feet, 7 inches by Renaud Lavillenie |
| 8 | the long jump | 6 | It's said after Bob Beamon's 1968 world record, a competitor remarked, "You have destroyed this event" |
| 9 | the biathlon | 6 | Ole Bjoerndalen won 4 golds competing in this sport that combines shooting & skiing |
| 10 | Nadia Comaneci | 5 | In 1976 this perfect 10 Romanian had to remind the persistent press she was only 14 |
| 11 | Jim Thorpe | 5 | Hugo Wieslander was in the record books as 1912 decathlon champ until 1982, when this man was reinstated |
| 12 | Helsinki | 5 | The Sibelius Monument, resembling a collection of organ pipes forming a sound wave |
| 13 | Greg Louganis | 5 | ( Jimmy of the Clue Crew is at the pool.) I'm about to do a reverse 3 1/2 somersault dive just like this Olympic platform & springboard gold medalist |
| 14 | fencing | 5 | World champion Giovanna Trillini of Italy "foiled" her opponent to win an individual gold in this sport |
| 15 | Barcelona | 5 | The Palace of Catalan Music, a UNESCO World Heritage Site |
| 16 | Athens | 5 | The Temple of Hephaestus, for the rest of us |
| 17 | Montreal | 5 | The only time the host country failed to win a gold medal was at the Olympics held in this Western Hemisphere city |
| 18 | Sydney | 4 | The Harbour Bridge is quite the sight on New Year's Eve in this 2000 host city |
| 19 | swimming | 4 | Mark Spitz |
| 20 | Moscow | 4 | Many countries joined the U.S. in boycotting the 1980 Summer Olympics hosted by this city |
| 21 | Mexico City | 4 | Of all the cities to host the modern Olympic Games, this one lies closest to the equator |
| 22 | Jesse Owens | 4 | Men's 100-meter dash, 1936 (in Berlin) |
| 23 | floor exercise | 4 | Only international gymnastic event which doesn't use any apparatus |
| 24 | volleyball | 4 | 2008: Karch Kiraly |
| 25 | Finland | 4 | This European city hosted the northernmost Summer Games, also the first where Soviet athletes participated |
| 26 | 100 meters | 4 | 1st winner of this sprint from a non-English-speaking country was Armin Hary in 1960 |
| 27 | uneven parallel bars | 4 | 1st appeared in '36 Olympics, created by changing level of one of its parts |
| 28 | the shot put | 4 | 73 feet, 8 3/4 inches by Ulf Timmermann |
| 29 | tennis | 4 | One of two demonstration sports played at the 1984 Summer Olympics |
| 30 | weightlifting | 3 | Divided into 1- & 2-handed events, these 1896 Olympic contests were won with marks of 157 & 246 pounds |
| 31 | the balance beam | 3 | In competition this apparatus is 4 feet off the ground & 16.5 feet long; for home practice, it can be half that length |
| 32 | St. Louis | 3 | Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, furnished as it was when the man lived & worked there |
| 33 | skiing | 3 | Bode Miller |
| 34 | Romania | 3 | Dominique Moceanu's parents came from this country, like her coach, Bela Karolyi |
| 35 | Paavo Nurmi | 3 | This 1920s star was nicknamed "The King of Runners" & "The Flying Finn" |
| 36 | Munich | 3 | Enjoy Marienplatz or drive over to BMW headquarters in this city |
| 37 | Muhammad Ali | 3 | In 1996 this former U.S. Olympic boxer lit the flame at the start of the Summer Olympics in Atlanta |
| 38 | luge | 3 | A sled weighing no more than 50 pounds, a steep hill, nerves of steel |
| 39 | Lake Placid | 3 | A 2-time Olympic host, this New York village has a population of around 2,500 |
| 40 | judo | 3 | Opponents flip over Kayla Harrison, winner of 2012 & 2016 golds in the 78kg division of this martial art |
| 41 | Jackie Joyner-Kersee | 3 | B. Jenner called her the "greatest athlete who ever lived, male or female" after she won her 2nd heptathlon |
| 42 | Hungary | 3 | Including 1952's "Magnificent Magyars", it has won more men's soccer medals than any other current country |
| 43 | curling | 3 | Rocks, brooms |
| 44 | Carl Lewis | 3 | Men's 100-meter dash, 1984, 1988; men's long jump, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996 |
| 45 | archery | 3 | 21-year-old Justin Huish of Simi Valley was right on target with 2 gold medals in this sport |
| 46 | the triple jump | 3 | Becoming the 1st Olympic champion since the 4th C. was a hop, step & jump for American James Connolly in this field event |
| 47 | the trampoline | 3 | This apparatus that sends competitors 3 stories high was added to Olympic gymnastics in 2000 |
| 48 | the rings | 3 | Strength movements in this men's gymnastics event include the lever & the iron cross |
| 49 | the javelin | 3 | 297' 1 3/4" by Andres Thorkildsen |
| 50 | the hurdles | 3 | It's the running event that includes a series of obstacles |
These appear 8+ times. Memorize these first.
Jump to: General