Los Angeles show how to make the Olympics profitable

The 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles were held during a worldwide depression but that did not stop the American city from making a profit of $1 million. They achieved the record figure even after paying for the accommodation costs of the Games by building the first Olympic Village, giving free food to all the athletes and paying for their entertainment during the 16 days of the Games.  


Raw steak and salad inspire a future military great

When George S. Patton, Jr was preparing for the modern pentathlon at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm he used to eat a plate of raw steak and salad after each training session. On the final day of the competition, he prepared for the cross-country run by receiving an injection of opium. The regime saw Patton finish fifth. He later found greater fame for commanding the U.S. Seventh Army in the Mediterranean and European during World War Two and for his leadership of the U.S. Third Army in France and Germany following the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944.


Colonial India inspired by own flag before winning Olympic gold medal

As India was a British colony, its athletes had to march behind Great Britain's flag at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. But in the dressing room before their final match against Germany, India's hockey team saluted the tricolor flag of the Indian National Congress. The team went on to win 8-1, with Dhyan Chand scoring six goals playing barefoot, to claim the gold medal. 


How little-known British fencer ended up playing James Bond

British fencer Steven Paul competed at three Olympic Games - Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984 and Barcelona 1992 - without winning a medal. He found more success after he retired when he trained Pierce Brosnan for his fencing scenes in the James Bond film Die Another Day and served as the actor's double for the more technical shots in the movie released in 2002. The film earned $432 million worldwide, becoming the sixth highest-grossing film of the year.