The Olympic and Paralympic Games will begin in Paris this summer.
The design of the medal has been announced.
Part of the tower that symbolizes Paris is used.
The metal of the Eiffel Tower, symbolizing Paris, in the center
A total of six types of medals, gold, silver, and bronze, will be awarded at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.The center of each medal is a metal cut from the steel pillars of the Eiffel Tower, symbolizing Paris, in the shape of the national territory of France. It is decorated in a hexagonal shape.
Prior to the announcement, the medals were unveiled to the press on February 1st at the Paris headquarters of Chaumet, the French luxury jewelry brand that designed the Olympic and Paralympic medals.
What's the design?
The design was inspired by a tiara, a hair ornament created in the 1900s with a sun motif.
The hexagon in the center of the medal is engraved with the Games' emblem, which combines the torch, a gold medal, and the lips of Marianne, the goddess symbolizing the French Revolution.
The hexagon is held in place by a claw like a jewel, and there are many irregularities around it to make it look even brighter.
The back of the medal
The image on the left is the back of an Olympic medal.
The Eiffel Tower is engraved with Nike, the Greek goddess of victory.
The image on the right is a Paralympic medal.
The design depicts the Eiffel Tower looking up from directly below.
Uses part of the Eiffel Tower's columns
The idea of using metal from the Eiffel Tower was proposed by the organizing committee of the event in order to create medals suitable for the event held in Paris, and they negotiated with the company that operates the Eiffel Tower.
The medals were made from parts of the pillars of the Eiffel Tower that had been removed during renovations such as the installation of elevators, and were secretly stored in a warehouse near Paris, where they were donated free of charge by a company. This means that the offer was received.
Clementine Massona, Head of Design Team
(Clémentine Massona, ``Chaumet'')
``We pay close attention to the details so that all the light gathers in the central hexagon.We want it to give immeasurable excitement to the players and also make France shine.''
Mr. Thierry Leboul, Organizing Committee
(Thierry Leboul)
"From the beginning, the Paris Games have aimed to go beyond the norm and remain in the memories of the future. We want the athletes to take home a part of France that we cherish the most."
The gold medal weighs 529 grams.
The diameter of the medal is 85 mm, the same as in previous games such as the Tokyo Games, and the thickness is about 9.2 mm.
All medals are made from recycled metal, with the gold medal weighing 529 grams.
The Paris Mint will be responsible for producing the medals, and over 5,000 medals in gold, silver and bronze will be produced by the time of the Games.