During the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles, McDonald’s announced a promotion that offered free food and drink every time a U.S. athlete reached the medals podium. The former Soviet Union boycotted the Olympics leading to many American wins and a very costly promotion. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/la-sp-mcdonalds-olympics-20170616-story.html
In 1912, Jim Thorpe, an American Indian, won two Olympic gold medals with a mismatched pair of shoes taken from the garbage. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Thorpe
The modern high jump technique was created by Dick Fosbury and was dubbed the Fosbury Flop. Prior to the 1968 Olympics, the landing area was sand or low mats so jumpers needed to land on their feet or otherwise very carefully. – WTF Fun Facts
The ‘Tall Boy’, as the crazy, arm-flailing, inflatable tube characters were originally known as, was invented by carnival artist Peter Minshall for the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://news.avclub.com/the-olympic-origins-of-those-wacky-waving-inflatable-ar-1798243184
In 1956, rower Vyacheslav Ivanov won the gold medal at the Olympics and accidentally dropped it into Lake Wendouree at the medal ceremony. His diving attempts failed and the medal was never recovered.
– WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyacheslav_Ivanov_(rower)
