1. The word "gymnastics" comes from the Greek word for 'naked' because early gymnasts used to performed naked.
2. Hollywood actress Geena Davis competed in the US Trials for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
3. America's Ray Ewry won 10 gold medals in standing long jump, high jump, and triple jump. As a child, Ray was confined to a wheelchair due to polio. He exercised his legs until he could walk, then strengthened them by jumping.
4. A Marathon commemorates the run of a Greek soldier from the town of Marathon to Athens in 490 BC, except for he ran 171 miles in two days then died after. I would probably experience the same fate if I ran a modern marathon.
5. The best shuttlecocks (badminton "ball") are said to be made from the left wing of a goose.
6. The world's largest shuttlecocks, 18 ft. tall, are part of a public art display in the yards of the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City, MO.
7. Our family favorite Mike Krzyzewski has been coaching the men's basketball team since 2005.
8. In Mountain Bike Cycling (I always like this event because of our old Kanakuk mountain biking cheers), Julien Absalon will be going for a hat-trick after winning the gold in 2004 and 2008.
9. St. Louis hijacked the Games in 1904 from Chicago, who had already won the rights to hosting. It was such a disaster and was overshadowed by the World's Fair, that the Olympic movement almost died that year.
8. Greg Louganis hit his head on the diving board in 1988 and fell unconscious during the pre-lim rounds. He rallied to win the gold medal in that event.
9. Equestrian is the only Olympic event where men and women compete on equal terms. It's also the only event where humans and animals compete together.
10. Football is a summer Olympic sport. I had no idea.
11. Handball is considered one of the oldest sports.
12. George S. Patton, the General of the US Army during World War II, competed in the Olympic's first Modern Pentathalon.
13. Rowing is the only sport where the competitors cross the line backwards.
14. The US team recently won the World Championships and Russia (or whatever you call it these days) won the silver, so the Olympics are going to be good!
15. The Olympic motto is "Faster, Higher, Stronger."
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