Athletes who accidentally became famous
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Athletes Who Accidentally Became Famous — Daily trivia Saturday, April 25, 2026: questions and answers
All 10 questions with answers and explanations. Play this daily
Q 01Who became unexpectedly famous for his panned 'American Idol' audition singing 'She Bangs'?
- AWilliam Hung
- BRuben Studdard
- CClay Aiken
- DSanjaya Malakar
Show answer
William Hung
William Hung never got past his off-key 'She Bangs' audition, yet his debut album, Inspiration, topped Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart.
Q 02Which British athlete became a folk hero at the Calgary Winter Olympics despite finishing last?
- AMichael "The Maverick" Miller
- BJohn "The Jumper" Jones
- CEddie "The Eagle" Edwards
- DPeter "The Peak" Smith
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Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards
Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards finished last in both his events at Calgary, and after the IOC changed its qualifying rules in 1990 he never made another Olympics.
Q 03Which Australian won Olympic 1000m short-track speed skating gold after all his rivals fell on the last lap?
- ASteven Bradbury
- BApolo Ohno
- CMarc Gagnon
- DJeremy Wotherspoon
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Steven Bradbury
Steven Bradbury was trailing when everyone ahead crashed on the last corner, and his win was the first Winter Olympic gold for Australia and the whole Southern Hemisphere.
Q 04Which Equatorial Guinea swimmer became famous for his very slow 100m freestyle at the Sydney Olympics?
- ARobel Kiros Habte
- BEric Moussambani
- CRuben Gonzalez
- DHamadou Djibo Issaka
Show answer
Eric Moussambani
Eric Moussambani, 'Eric the Eel', had never seen a 50-metre pool before Sydney, and his 1:52.72 took about twice as long as champion Pieter van den Hoogenband.
Q 05In which sport did Vinko Bogataj crash, becoming the 'agony of defeat' on ABC's Wide World of Sports?
- ABobsled
- BSki jumping
- CLuge
- DDownhill skiing
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Ski jumping
Ski jumping: Bogataj, a Yugoslav entrant, fell at the Oberstdorf ski flying event as the snow worsened, and later became a painter in Slovenia.
Q 06Which Olympic champion's story was told in the film 'Race'?
- AJesse Owens
- BWilma Rudolph
- CJim Thorpe
- DJackie Robinson
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Jesse Owens
Jesse Owens gained international fame and challenged Nazi ideology with four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. His life, including his struggles against racial prejudice, was brought to the screen in the 2016 biopic 'Race'.
Q 07Which two runners collided in the controversial 3000m race at the Los Angeles Olympics?
- AEvelyn Ashford and Marlies Göhr
- BJoan Benoit and Grete Waitz
- CValerie Brisco-Hooks and Chandra Cheeseborough
- DMary Decker and Zola Budd
Show answer
Mary Decker and Zola Budd
Mary Decker and Zola Budd tangled mid-race: Decker fell to the curb, injured her hip and never finished, while Budd faded to seventh.
Q 08Who was the first player of Asian descent in the NHL, playing one shift for the New York Rangers?
- APaul Kariya
- BYutaka Fukufuji
- CLarry Kwong
- DJim Paek
Show answer
Larry Kwong
Larry Kwong got one shift late in the third period of a 1948 game, ten years before Willie O'Ree's debut, then starred for years in senior leagues outside the NHL.
Q 09Which 11-time Grand Slam singles champion shocked tennis by retiring at 26?
- AJohn McEnroe
- BBjörn Borg
- CMats Wilander
- DJimmy Connors
Show answer
Björn Borg
Björn Borg quit the tour after losing the 1981 Wimbledon and US Open finals to John McEnroe, then formally announced his retirement in January 1983.
Q 10Which Boston Marathon women's winner was stripped of her title after it emerged she had skipped most of the course?
- ARosie Ruiz
- BJacqueline Gareau
- CJoan Benoit
- DGrete Waitz
Show answer
Rosie Ruiz
Rosie Ruiz was stripped of the title eight days later; she is believed to have jumped onto the course about half a mile from the finish.
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