Fact of the Day

The first athlete to win an Olympic medal representing an Asian country was Norman Pritchard, who running for India, claimed silver medals in the 200 metres and 200m hurdles at Paris in 1900 - although there remains confusion as to his true allegiance

The first athlete to win an Olympic medal representing an Asian country was Norman Pritchard, who, running for India, claimed silver medals in the 200 metres and 200m hurdles at Paris in 1900 - although there remains confusion as to his true allegiance. The IAAF records claim that Pritchard ran for Britain but the IOC still regard him as having competed for India.

America's Alvin Kraenzlein won the 60 metres, the 110m hurdles, the 200m hurdles and long jump at the Paris Olympics in 1900, which still stands as a record in athletics for the most individual gold medals won in the Games.

America's Alvin Kraenzlein won the 60 metres, the 110m hurdles, the 200m hurdles and long jump at the Paris Olympics in 1900, which still stands as a record in athletics for the most individual gold medals won in the Games. After the long jump, he was allegedly punched in the face by rival Meyer Prinstein, who was prevented from competing by officials of Syracuse University as it was on a Sunday.

During the Opening Ceremony of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, astronauts Leonid Popov and Valery Ryumin sent their greetings from Salyut 6 to the Olympians and wished them good luck in the live communication between the station and the Central Lenin Stadium

During the Opening Ceremony of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, astronauts Leonid Popov and Valery Ryumin sent their greetings from Salyut 6 to the competitors and wished them good luck in a live communication between the orbital space station and the Central Lenin Stadium. They appeared on the Stadium's scoreboard and their voices were translated via loud speakers.

Israel made its Olympic debut at Helsink in 1952.

Israel made its Olympic debut at Helsinki in 1952. The Jewish state had been unable to participate at the 1948 Games in London because of its War of Independence. A previous Palestine Mandate team had boycotted the 1936 Games in Berlin in protest of the Nazi regime under Adolf Hitler.

The Melbourne Olympics 1956 were marked by international tensions but a young Australian, John Ian Wing, came up with a new idea for the Closing Ceremony

The Melbourne Olympics of 1956 were marked by international tensions but a young Australian, John Ian Wing, came up with a new idea for the Closing Ceremony. Instead of marching as teams, behind their national flags, the athletes mingled with one another as they paraded into and around the arena for a final appearance before the spectators. That began an Olympic tradition that has been followed ever since.

The 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam were officially opened by the Netherlands' Prince Hendrik, consort of Queen Wilhelmina, who had authorised him to deputise for her

The 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam were officially opened by the Netherlands' Prince Hendrik, consort of Queen Wilhelmina, who had authorised him to deputise for her. She had refused to do it as she was on holiday in Norway and did not want to disrupt that, because she was furious she had not been consulted about the opening date.

Dutch aristocrat Frederik van Tuyll van Serooskerken first proposed Amsterdam as host city for the Olympics 1912, even before the Netherlands Olympic Committee was established

Dutch aristocrat Frederik van Tuyll van Serooskerken first proposed Amsterdam as the host city for the 1912 Olympics, before the Netherlands Olympic Committee was established. In 1916, the Olympics were cancelled due to World War One. In 1919, Holland abandoned the proposal of Amsterdam in favour of Antwerp. In 1921 Paris was selected for the 1924 Olympics on condition that 1928 would be given to Amsterdam.

A record 197 nations, all current International Olympic Committee member nations, took part at Atlanta in 1996, with a record 79 of them winning at least one medal

A record 197 nations took part at Atlanta in 1996, with a record 79 of them winning at least one medal. Palestine was allowed to compete in the Olympics for the first time. Also for the first time, Olympic medals were won by the athletes from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burundi, Ecuador,Georgia, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Mozambique, Slovakia, Tonga, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

Ireland bocyotted the 1936 Olympics in Berlin because of a controversial ruling on borders which restricted the Olympic Council of Ireland's jurisdiction to what was then the Irish Free State, the state established as a dominion under th

Ireland bocyotted the 1936 Olympics in Berlin because of a controversial ruling on borders which restricted the Olympic Council of Ireland's jurisdiction to what was then the Irish Free State, the state established as a dominion under the Anglo-Irish Treaty.

Italian Alberto Braglia was the first man to win successive individual all-round Olympic gymnastic golds when he followed up his title at London in 1908 with a similar success in Stockholm four years later.

Italian Alberto Braglia was the first man to win successive individual all-round Olympic gymnastic golds when he followed up his title at London in 1908 with a similar success in Stockholm four years later. Afterwards he joined the circus as an acrobat but then returned as Italy's chief coach for Los Angeles in 1932.