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Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Sports Trivia

Who is the only athlete to win multiple medals at both the summer and winter Olympics?

Answer: Clara Hughes

Clara Hughes was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on the 27th of September 1972. Clara won her first two Olympic medals in Atlanta Georgia. She competed in the individual cycling road race and the individual time trial event. She was able to win bronze in both events.

Clara then turned her attention to the winter Olympics. She competed in the 5000m speed skating event in the games in Salt Lake City in 2002. She won a bronze medal for her efforts. Clara then continued and competed in the games held in Torino where she captured gold in the 5000m speed skating event. She also won a silver medal at the games in the team pursuit.

In 2010 at the Vancouver Olympic games Clara achieved a bronze medal in the ladies 5000m speed skating.

Clara is not only a decorated athlete but is a big supporter of the charity, "Right to Play". She has also been awarded the Order of Canada and the order of Manitoba. Clara Hughes is truly one of the great Olympians.

Who holds the record for the most gold medals at an Olympic games?

Answer: Michael Phelps

In 2008 at the games held in Beijing Michael was able to win eight gold medals. All his medals were in the pool. Michael won the 100m fly, 200m free, 200m fly, 200 m individual medley, 400m individual medley, 4x 100m freestyle relay, 4x100 medley relay and the 4x 200m freestyle relay.

Michael added these eight gold to the six gold and two bronze medals that he won in the games in 2004. Michael has won more gold medals than any other athlete in the history of the modern Olympics. His Olympic medal total is second only to the 18 medals that were won by Larissa Latynina the famous Russian gymnast.

Michael was born in Baltimore, Maryland on the 30th of June 1985. Michael was diagnosed at the age of seven with ADD. To help him burn off energy he was put into swimming.

Michael has founded the Michael Phelps Foundation, which is a charity that advocates swimming and water safety for children. He is also a co-founder of the Swim with the Stars program.

Who holds the record in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most versatile female athlete?

Answer: "Babe" Mildred Ella Didrikson Zaharias

Mildred was born in Port Arthur, Texas on the 26th of June 1911. She was one of seven children born to Ole and Hannah Didriksen. She would change the spelling of her last name when she was older. The name 'Babe' was a childhood nickname that stayed with her all her life.

Mildred was truly one of the greatest athletes of all time. In 1932, she went to the Amateur Athletic Union Championships. She won eight of the ten events that she competed in and won the team championship. Babe was the only person on her team.

In 1932, Babe went to the Olympics in Los Angeles. She won two gold medals and one silver. She won gold in the 80m hurdles and the javelin. Her silver medal came in the sport of high jump.

Babe's most recognized sports achievements would be in golf. In what was truly an amazing career Babe won 82 golf tournaments. She won the ladies Grand Slam of golf in 1950. Some of her records in golf have never been broken.

Sadly, Babe was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1953. She underwent surgery and continued to play golf, although she limited the number of tournaments that she competed in. In 1955, the cancer returned and Babe died at the age of 45 in Galveston, Texas.

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