5 interesting facts about the Summer Olympics

With the 2021 Tokyo Olympics has begun, let’s take a look at some interesting facts about the Summer Games which will take you by surprise.

1.  Olympic gold medals are not made up of gold

The practice of awarding pure gold medals to the Olympic medalists was last followed in 1912. The current Olympic gold medals are, in fact, made up of silver and plated with 6g of gold.

2.  Three Olympic Games in the modern era have been canceled

In the long history of the modern Olympic Games, only three Summer Olympics have been canceled. While the 1916 Berlin Olympics was canceled due to World War I, the 1940 Helsinki Olympics and 1944 London Olympics were canceled due to World War II.

3.  The 2021 Tokyo Olympic medals are made up of recycled electronic devices

The upcoming Tokyo Olympics will present athletes with medals composed of recycled electronic devices, including discarded laptops and smartphones. The devices were proactively donated by the citizens of Japan as the material for the medals.

4.  Only one athlete has won gold medals in both Summer and Winter Olympics

Eddie Eagan of America is the only athlete to win gold at the Summer as well as the Winter Olympics. He won his summer gold in boxing at the 1920 Games. At the 1932 Winter Olympics, Eagan clinched the gold in four-man bobsled.

/ Eddie Eagan of America

5.  At least one color of the Olympic Rings appears in every national flag

The founder of the modern Olympic movement, Pierre de Coubertin designed the Olympic symbol consisting of five rings colored in blue, yellow, black, green, and red with white in the center. These rings represent the five inhabited continents of the world. Interestingly, at least one of these colors is present in every national flag of every country.