Athletics

An unfortunate name fest here, many of which would only ever be set by someone you’d want to whack over the head with a big stick, or maybe a javelin if you’re into your field events.

Questions

Still the only Austrian to have won an Olympic gold in the sport of athletics, who was victorious in the 1948 women’s javelin? She could only finish 9th in 1952 when five athletes threw further than her Olympic record.

HERMA BAUMA

Throwing further when she won a silver in 1960, which athlete who finished 7th in the 1948 women’s javelin went on to win the gold medal at the 1952 Olympics? Disappointingly for the Soviet Union, this event saw their athletes finish from 2nd to 4th.

DANA ZÁTOPKOVÁ

Past winner Dana Zátopková could only finish fourth when she tried to defend her women’s Olympic javelin title in 1956, the event being won by which Latvian who represented the Soviet Union, with her compatriot and world record holder Nadezdha Konyayeva taking the bronze?

INESE JAUNZEME

The only Chilean female to win an Olympic medal was who in the 1956 women’s javelin with a silver behind Inese Juanzeme? Her daughter Karin Ebensperger became a TV journalist.

MARLENE AHRENS

Later adding a World Championship silver in 1999 when he followed Wilson Kipketer home, which South African finished second to Vebjørn Rodal in the 1996 Olympic 800m final? Unfortunately these achievements are tainted by him later serving a drugs suspension after testing positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone.

HEZEKIÉL SEPENG

Holding the men’s shot put world record until his mark was surpassed by Ryan Crouser in 2021, which American Olympic gold medallist from 1996 received a life ban from competition in 1998? He had set his world record in 1990 shortly before serving his first doping sentence.

RANDY BARNES

A three-time world champion, who was runner up to Randy Barnes in the men’s shot put at the 1996 Olympics? He added an Olympic bronze to his collection in Sydney where he also competed in the discus, though he failed to qualify for the final in that event.

JOHN GODINA

Finishing third behind the American pair of Randy Barnes and John Godina, which Ukrainian shot putter originally won the gold medal at the 1997 World Athletics Championships before a drug test flagged that he had taken the stimulant ephedrine?

OLEKSANDR BAHACH

Livio Berruti broke the world record when he won gold in which athletics event at the 1960 Olympics ahead of Lester Carney from the United States? He made the final again four years later but only finish 5th.

200m

Falling short with a silver when he tried to successfully defend his title in 1980, which Polish high jumper became Olympic champion in 1976 at 19 years of age in wet conditions? He briefly held the world record when he became the first to clear the height of 2.35m.

JACEK WSZOŁA

Jacek Wszoła triumph in the 1976 men’s high jump prevented which Canadian from becoming his country’s only Olympic gold medallist at their home games? Born in the large Oregon city of Portland, he later married compatriot and Olympic canoe sprint medallist Sue Holloway.

GREG JOY

Despite being the world record holder going into the event, which American high jumper could only match his Olympic bronze medal from 1972 at the Montreal games?

DWIGHT STONES

When Jacek Wszoła put in a strong effort in trying to defend his 1976 gold he was beaten by which East German who became the first high jumper to improve the male world record at the Olympics?

GERD WESSIG

The bronze medal in the 1980 Olympic men’s high jump went to which East German whose twin brother Uwe competed in the 1988 decathlon? Uwe’s son Rico was even more successful in that event, bringing home a bronze and silver from the 2015 and 2017 World Athletics Championship respectively.

JÖRG FREIMUTH

Only the second Olympic medal won by Haiti, a country that are still awaiting their third, which athlete finished second in the 1928 long jump? His world record mark set that same year is still the Haitian national record.

SYLVIO CATOR

Sharing his surname with an actor who has received Emmy nominations for appearances in “30 Rock” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”, which American prevented Sylvio Cator from winning Haiti’s first Olympic gold medal when he won the 1928 men’s long jump?

ED HAMM

Middle distance Olympic medallists

Some brutal stuff asking for steeplechasers here. Almost as nasty as the size of my shin when I crashed over a barrier during training.

Questions

The first of his four Olympic medals coming in 1964 when he won a silver in the 10,000m, Mohammed Gammoudi went one better when he beat Kip Keino in the Mexico City 5,000m to become the first Olympic gold medallist from which country?

TUNISIA

Finishing 3rd in the 1968 5,000m race that saw Mohammed Gammoudi became Tunisia’s first Olympic gold medallist, which athlete got Kenya to the top of the rostrum for the first time in that year’s 10,000m? His compatriot Kip Keino soon added another in the 1,500m.

NAFTALI TEMU

A 1968 Olympic silver medallist in the 10,000m behind Naftali Temu, Mamo Wolde was arrested in 1993 and spent 9 years in detention after being accused of participating in an execution during which political repression that took place in Ethiopia from 1976 to 1978?

RED TERROR / QEY SHIBIR

The most recent American athlete to hold the world record for the men’s mile was which Olympic silver medallist in the 1968 1,500m behind Kip Keino, who became a Republican Member of the House of Representatives for his birth state of Kansas between 1996 and 2007?

JIM RYUN

The reigning European champion in the 1,500m when the Mexico City Olympics came around, which Polish-born athlete who represented West Germany won the 1968 bronze medal at that distance behind Kip Keino and Jim Ryun?

BODO TÜMMLER

Although she finished second in the race, her medal was upgraded to gold when Yuliya Zaripova was later disqualified for doping. The 2012 3,000m steeplechase saw which Tunisian become the first woman to win an Olympic medal from her country?

HABIBA GHRIBI

Currently the only Ethiopian to have medalled in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase, who saw her 2012 bronze medal upgraded to silver following Yuliya Zaripova’s doping disqualification? She managed to win a bronze at the 2013 World Championship despite tripping over a barrier on the 6th lap.

SOFIA ASSEFA

Showing a nice progression when she won bronze in 2009, silver in 2011 and finally gold in 2013, which Kenyan became the first woman from that country to win the World Championship in the 3,000m steeplechase? Her only Olympic medal was a 2012 bronze, being awarded following Yuliya Zaripova’s doping disqualification.

MILCAH CHEMOS (CHEYWA)

The United States had to wait until 2016 to bag their first men’s 1,500m Olympic gold since World War II. Improving on a silver and a bronze won at consecutive World Championships, who was victorious in a time of 3:50:0, the slowest winning time since 1932?

MATTHEW CENTROWITZ (JR.)

Reinstated after being thrown out of the 2012 Olympics following a suspicious 800m performance where he dropped out after not appearing to try, which Algerian went on to win the 2012 1,500m gold that same year? He finished 2nd behind Matthew Centrowitz when he tried to defend his title.

TAOUFIK MAKHLOUFI

Setting a record in running a sub 4-minute mile for a 20th consecutive year in 2022, which 1,500m men’s bronze medallist from the Rio Olympics also has a silver medal from 2008 and won the 2006 Commonwealth Games gold?

NICK WILLIS

Women’s 400m Hurdles medallists

I managed to remember Melaine Walker, so the bunch of questions left here is now even more unreasonable. Maybe if I spend an hour watching these races they will become easier.

Questions

Nicknamed “Bambi”, which Dutch woman became the 3rd fastest of all-time at the 400m hurdles and took home the Olympic bronze in Tokyo 2020 behind Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad? She was the first Dutch woman to medal in this event.

FEMKE BOL

Who is the only Danish female to have won a 400m hurdles medal at the Olympics, doing so in 2016? In that year she also won European Championship gold.

SARA PETERSEN

Winner of the women’s 400m hurdles in 2012, she also won the bronze in the 2004 400m, making her the only Olympic medallist so far in both events. Which Russian?

NATALYA ANTYUKH

One of the fastest female 400m hurdlers of all time, which American could only manage to win Olympic silver in 2012? She was the 2011 World Champion.

LASHINDA DEMUS

Who was the only Czech athlete to win an Olympic 400m hurdles medal with a bronze in 2012? She went on to win back to to back World Championships in 2013 and 2015.

ZUZANA HEJNOVÁ

A bronze medallist at the 2000 Olympics, which Moroccan twice won the women’s 400m hurdles at the World Championships, doing so in 1997 and 2001?

NEZHA BIDOUANE

A silver medallist at the Olympics in 1996, which American broke the women’s 400m hurdles world record when she won the 1995 World Championship?

KIM BATTEN

Who is the only female Australian to win an Olympic medal at the 400m hurdles, bringing home the gold in 1988?

DEBBIE FLINTOFF-KING

A silver medallist in the women’s 400m hurdles in 1988 who later represented Belarus, which Soviet athlete won gold at the 1991 World Championships?

TATYANA LEDOVSKAYA

Who is the only German female to win an Olympic medal in the women’s 400m hurdles, getting a bronze in 1988? She represented East Germany, and also won the bronze at the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki.

ELLEN FIEDLER

Decathlon medallists

Had a run through those since 1968 to try and fill in some gaps after getting a couple of questions wrong on this subject.

Questions

Having the decathlon best times for 100m and 110m hurdles, as well as being a former holder of the longest distance for the long jump, which Canadian finally topped the podium at Tokyo with an Olympic record? He had previously won an Olympic bronze and three of the lesser medals in the World Championships.

DAMIAN WARNER

Twice an Olympic silver medallist, which French decathlete is the current world record holder? He won his event at the 2017 and 2022 World Athletics Championships, with Tokyo-gold medallist Damian Warner having to pull out through injury in the latter event after pulling his hamstring in the 400m.

KEVIN MAYER

A previous winner of the World Junior Championships, who became Australia’s first Olympic medallist in the decathlon when he won bronze at Tokyo 2020 behind the insanely good duo of Damian Warner and Kevin Mayer?

ASHLEY MOLONEY

One of numerous Americans to have been successful in the decathlon, which Texan was 2008 Olympic champion, going one better than his silver from Athens? He also won the 2005 World Championship event in Helsinki.

BRYAN CLAY

The only athlete from a Latin American country to win an Olympic decathlon medal, which Cuban athlete won back-to-back bronzes in 2008 and 2012, also picking up medals in the two interim World Championships?

LEONEL SUÁREZ

When Czech athlete Robert Změlík won the 1992 Olympic decathlon it was at the expense of which home hope who bagged the silver, throwing his shot put further than anyone else it that year’s competition?

ANTONIO PEÑALVER

The most recent one-two in the Olympic decathlon was in 2012 when which 2009 and 2011 World Champion was beaten into silver by teammate Ashton Eaton?

TREY HARDEE

Later confessing to having used an anabolic steroid during his career, which athlete led an East German one-two in the 1988 decathlon with Torsten Voss, the 1987 World Champion who later competed in the Olympic bobsleigh?

CHRISTIAN SCHENK

Exchanging world records in the early 1980s, which German decathlete was the great rival of Daley Thompson, though ultimately only managing Olympic and World silvers?

JÜRGEN HINGSEN

1968 Olympic decathlon winner Bill Toomey was married to which other Olympic gold medallist for 22 years?

MARY RAND

Well known for his post-decathlon activities, at which year’s Olympics did Bruce Jenner bring home the gold in a world record performance, with him producing the best discus throw of the competition?

1976

The only Soviet winner of the Olympic decathlon was which Ukrainian-born athlete in 1972, doing so with a world record ahead of his compatriot Leonid Lytvynenko?

MYKOLA AVILOV

Although never managing to win an Olympic gold, which athlete is one of two to have won the decathlon at the World Championships three times, the other being Dan O’Brien? This happened consecutively from 1997 to 2001.

TOMÁŠ DVOŘÁK

Beating Estonian Maicel Uibo into silver in a field that included Kevin Mayer and Damian Warner, which German became the youngest athlete to win the World Championship decathlon when he won Doha gold in 2019?

NIKLAS KAUL

Never winning an Olympic medal and having an unfortunate collection of DNFs in major events, which American decathlete topped the podium at the 2003 World Championships ahead of an illustrious field that included Olympic gold medallists Roman Šebrle, Bryan Clay and Erki Nool?

TOM PAPPAS

Men’s 200m and Marathon golds

I should really be up on my marathon history, having ‘completed’ six of the masochistic horrors. But quizzing is a marathon, not a sprint. Come on Andrew, that is the laziest cliché ever.

Questions

Having the rare feat of having run a sub-20 200m and sub-45 400m on the same day, which American won men’s silver in the 200m behind Andre de Grasse in Tokyo 2020? He repeated this result in the 2022 World Championship in Eugene, part of an American clean sweep.

KENNETH BEDNAREK

Which American won men’s bronze in the Tokyo 2020 200m behind Andre de Grasse and Kenneth Bednarek for the US? He has won back-to-back World Championships in this event in Doha 2019 and Eugene 2022.

NOAH LYLES

Which Jamaican sprinter completed that country’s clean sweep in the 200m at the 2012 London Olympics behind Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake? He followed that with a World Championship silver in 2013, and despite never breaking 10 seconds for the 100m was part of the Jamaican 4 x 100m relay squad that took the gold at that event.

WARREN WEIR

Which American won sprint double bronze at the 2008 Olympics, going one better with a sprint double silver in the 2011 World Championships in Daegu where he was beaten by Yohan Blake and Usain Bolt respectively?

WALTER DIX

A member of the gold medal winning relay teams from the 2000 Olympics and 2003 World Championships, which American won 200m silver behind Shawn Crawford in 2004, also bagging a 100m silver in the 2001 World Championship?

BERNARD WILLIAMS

The only European athlete to ever win the men’s 200m at the World Athletics Championship, doing so in Edmonton 2001, who was also the most recent European to win men’s 200m Olympic gold in 2000?

KONSTANTINOS KENTERIS

A member of gold medal winning American teams in relays at both the Olympics and World Athletics Championship, whose only individual Olympic medal was 200m gold in 1992, beating Frankie Fredericks into silver?

MICHAEL MARSH

Winning in an Olympic record time, which American won 200m gold in 1988, beating the more decorated Carl Lewis into silver?

JOE DELOACH

The only Australian to medal in the men’s 200m, who was sandwiched between Tommie Smith and John Carlos in 1968 and thus features in the famous black power photograph from those games? His performance in the final remains an Oceanian record.

PETER NORMAN

Also winning a gold in the 4×400 relay, which American won the 1964 men’s Olympic 200m? He later played a few seasons for the New York Giants as a safety.

HENRY CARR

Also a member of the 4×400 relay team that took home a bronze medal, which Trinidad & Tobago athlete finished 3rd in the men’s 200m in 1964? Trinidad & Tobago have three bronzes in this event with the other two won by Ato Boldon.

EDWIN ROBERTS

Which Italian won men’s 200m gold in 1960, the first of two from the country with Pietro Mennea being victorious in 1980? He competed in the same event in two subsequent Olympics with less success.

LIVIO BERRUTI

Born in Senegal, a country that has only won one Olympic medal, which French athlete earned a bronze in the 1960 men’s 200m, the first of two for the country with Christophe Lemaitre bagging one in 2016?

ABDOULAYE SEYE

Winning gold in the 4×100 relay, who led an American clean sweep in the men’s 200m of 1952, also bagging silver behind Bobby Morrow in 1956?

ANDY STANFIELD

Breaking the 220 yard world record of Jesse Owens in 1949, who won gold in the men’s 200m for the US in 1948?

MEL PATTON

Who is the only athlete from Panama to medal in the men’s 200m, winning bronze in 1948 with another gained for the 100m? He is the only double Olympic medallist from the country, with long jumper Irving Saladino gaining their only other medal, a gold in 2008.

LLOYD LABEACH

In which year did Stephen Kiprotich win Uganda’s only Olympic medal in the men’s marathon, a race where another much fancied Kiprotich representing Kenya finished 3rd?

2012

Carjacked and shot months before the event, which South African won the closest Olympic men’s marathon to date, only three seconds ahead of Lee Bong-Ju in 1996?

JOSIA THUGWANE

The first and only South Korean to win the men’s Olympic marathon under that flag, who was victorious in Barcelona 1992, an event that saw the most recent medals for Japan and Germany?

HWANG YOUNG-CHO

A bronze medal winner at the 1987 World Athletics Championship on home turf, which Italian won the 1988 Olympic marathon? This event is notable for Ahmed Salah winning Djibouti’s first and only Olympic medal to date.

GELINDO BORDIN

The last British medal in the men’s marathon came in 1984 for Charlie Spedding when he won bronze behind which Portuguese athlete, who eight years after winning 10,000m silver finally won the country’s first ever Olympic gold?

CARLOS LOPES

What nationality was Waldemar Cierpinski, the last man to successfully defend his title in the Olympic marathon before Eliud Kipchoge in Tokyo 2021?

EAST GERMAN

Although he failed to emulate Abebe Bikila when he only won bronze in 1972, who made it three men’s marathon golds in a row for Ethiopia in 1968, the only country that has managed this feat to date?

MAMO WOLDE

The most recent French winner of the men’s Olympic marathon in 1956, Alain Mimoun was born in which country? He had previously won three silvers, all behind Emil Zátopek!

ALGERIA

Reminiscent of the famous events surrounding Dorando Pietri in 1908, which Argentinian won the 1948 men’s Olympic marathon after Belgian Etienne Gailly fell apart after entering the stadium? Gailly did manage to secure a consolation bronze.

DELFO CABRERA

The first ethnic Korean to win a medal at the Olympics, who was representing Japan when he denied Ernest Harper from winning Britain’s first ever gold in the men’s marathon, an achievement the country is still waiting for?

SOHN KEE-CHUNG

Both of Argentina’s golds in Olympic athletics have come in the men’s marathon, with which athlete who carried the nickname of ‘El Ñandú Criollo’ being successful in 1932?

JUAN CARLOS ZABALA

Both of France’s winners in the men’s Olympic marathon were born in Algeria, with which individual preventing Chile’s Manuel Plaza from winning their first ever Olympic gold in 1928?

BOUGHERA EL OUAFI

Having previously won two medals in 1912, Albin Stenroos won gold twelve years later in the men’s marathon. Which country did he represent?

FINLAND

Although not as well known as Paavo Nurmi, which Finn did win the men’s Olympic marathon in 1920, a feat the Olympic spammer did not manage? This was his fourth gold in total.

HANNES KOLEHMAINEN

One-twos in the men’s Olympic marathon have been extremely rare. Greece was the first country to manage the feat in 1896, with the second being formed by Ken McArthur and Christian Gitsham in 1912, who were representing which country?

SOUTH AFRICA

In the event most famous for Dorando Pietri being helped to his feet, which American was given 1908 men’s marathon gold after the Italian was disqualified?

JOHNNY HAYES

Although Thomas Hicks won the 1904 men’s Olympic marathon thanks to healthy doses of strychnine and some brandy, he did not cross the line first. That honour went to which American athlete, whose even more absurd tactics involved covering much of the course by car, fortunately this being discovered by the officials?

FRED LORZ

There has been some controversy around the nationality of the 1900 men’s marathon winner as the gold medal was assigned to France even though he was Luxembourgish. Who was this athlete, who was accused of taking short-cuts through Paris learned while he was a delivery boy?

MICHEL THÉATO

What is significant about Stemata Revithi, who was officially not allowed to enter the 1896 Olympic marathon because the entry came after the deadline? They went on to run the course the following day, though were denied entry to the Panathinaiko Stadium.

SHE WAS FEMALE