The Olympic dreams of many athletes are taking shape as the days go by. Several athletes have already acquired the qualifying quota for Paris and are getting girded for the battle. When the countdown draws to a close, and the final showdown begins, only a handful of these hopefuls will get the chance to sink their teeth into the gold. But why do the victors bite the gold medal?

Olympians who have secured the top rank at their events uphold a strange tradition. Standing atop the podium, they bite the gold medal to check for purity. During the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the organizers joked and said, ?We just want to officially confirm that the #Tokyo2020 medals are not edible!? Then, what is it made of, and who is responsible for it?

Crafting precious moments

The Olympic committee are the custodians of the biggest sporting event very seriously. Therefore, when it comes to creating the medals, they ensure that every detail is carefully considered. Nonetheless, the same level of care and attention is given to the materials used. For the 2024 Summer Olympics, the committee went with the trusted Paris-based designer, architect and creator Philippe Starck. The innovative design of the three medals is a nod to a rich history as well as a modern redefinition of the Olympic Games. The same designer had crafted the Olympic Flame for the 1992 Winter Olympic Games held at Albertville. Starck put a lot of thought into the design of the medals and ultimately settled his focus on the slogan for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

In a world that is reeling from political turmoil, the Olympics present a significant scope for unification. Therefore, the slogan for 2024 is “made for sharing”, which would be reflected in the design of each medal. The unique design allows the medal to be split into four smaller yet complete medals. The athletes now have the chance to formally share their glory with their coaches, teammates, and families. Phillipe Starck explained his vision, saying, “Today, more than ever, the truth is that you’re not winning alone, so I wanted this medal to reflect that?If the winner wants to share it, they can share it. It’s a really nice way of truly showing team spirit”. As for the materials used, he promoted the environmental cause.

2024 Paris Olympics to champion the environmental cause

In 2021, the organizers recycled a lot of e-waste from computers and smartphones dumped into a landfill in Japan. Similarly, in 2016, they used recycled materials, including plastic, to make the medals and the ribbons. For the 2024 medals, they will go down this route yet again. The 68-year-old designer with over 10,000 artistic objects in his portfolio is famous for his dedication to sustainability. Thus, the medals will almost certainly include recycled materials as well.

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Starck is proud of his design and said, ?This medal has something very special about it?Because normally a medal tends [to be] a sort of witness, a message that says ‘I was there, I did it, I outdid myself. I went beyond myself, I won, it is extraordinary??. He understood his responsibility and performed his design duties with utmost thoughtfulness.

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