Celebrities and the Olympic Games: Did you know these individuals competed?

Several celebrities have been able to compete at the Olympic Games over different years, with some more surprising than others.

Naturally, there have been a number of athletes that have gone on from Olympic success to achieve a status of being a celebrity, whilst there are some that were perhaps more prominent celebrities for other reasons in their lives, with different professional achievements perhaps having been the main reason as to why they became famous around the world.

Whilst many will be looking at the current group of brilliant athletes that are set to represent their countries when looking to find the best sports odds and bets to place, many would not have been able to predict how much stardom some of those in previous editions have gone on to achieve in later life.

Here are just some individuals who have held a celebrity status and have competed in an edition of the Olympic Games:

 

Caitlyn Jenner

Perhaps one of the most famous celebrities to have ever been able to compete in the Olympic Games, Caitlyn Jenner, will be known to many of a certain generation as the father of Kylie and Kendall Jenner.

However, in the 1976 Olympic Games, Caitlyn competed as Bruce in the Montreal Games when they were announced the winner of the decathlon gold medal representing the United States of America.

 

Princess Anne

Whilst many may know about the Royal Family that exists in the United Kingdom, it might not be known as wider knowledge that members of the family have also represented their country in the Olympic Games. Indeed, Princess Anne is just one of them.

In the Montreal Games of 1976, Anne became the first member of the Royal Family to compete as a member of the British equestrian team. Those that have followed the Olympic Games in more recent memory will have noticed that her daughter, Zara Phillips, has followed in her footsteps, as she won the silver medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

 

Harold Sakata

Despite having achieved fame and recognition for one fine performance in an all-time classic movie, Harold Sakata is also a former Olympic Champion, and one that many people may not realise had happened.

Best known as Goldfinger’s bowler hat-wearing bodyguard called Oddjob in the James Bond classic Goldfinger in 1964, Sakata managed to become an incredibly famous individual. However, he was also an Olympic Champion almost two decades before. He won a silver medal for the United States in the 1948 London Olympics after finishing second in the light-heavyweight weightlifting competition.

 

The Winklevoss Twins

Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss might be well known to many worldwide for their role in creating Facebook and allegedly having their idea stolen by Mark Zuckerberg. However, it should be known that they have also competed together in an Olympic Games.

In fact, the American twins competed for their country in the 2008 Beijing Games when they represented the USA in the men’s pair rowing competition. They managed to finish a respectable sixth of the 14 countries that competed.

 

Johnny Weissmuller

Having been cast as the original Tarzan in the hit movie in 1932, Johnny Weissmuller certainly had a body that was built for the Olympic Games, so it should not come as a surprise that he picked up numerous medals when competing for the United States of America.

 

His ability to swing from tree to tree in the film was perhaps down to how good he was with his arms when in the water, as the accomplished swimmer managed to obtain a total of five gold medals during his Olympic Games career that featured the 1924 and 1928 Games. The 1924 Games saw Weissmuller also be able to add a bronze to his collection when he was a member of the USA’s water polo team.

 

 

Jessica Alexander

Jessica Alexander

I've always loved to write, but I'd never want to be famous. So, I write as Jessica A. over here at ADDICTED. You can think of my like Carmen Sandiego, you trust me, but where in the world am I?
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