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Athletes all over the world have waited an additional yr for his or her shot on the final purpose of a medal from the Tokyo Olympics. Adorned athletes like gymnast Simone Biles and swimmer Katie Ledecky will probably be trying so as to add to their {hardware} assortment on the Tokyo Video games, whereas some Group USA members will hope to take house their first medals.
Here’s a have a look at the historical past of Olympic medals, what they’re going to appear to be in Tokyo and what athletes do with the long-lasting {hardware}.
When have been medals first awarded on the Olympics?
Within the historical Olympic Video games, which might be dated again to 776 BCE, victors have been adorned with olive wreaths slightly than the medals we see in immediately’s competitors.
The primary trendy Olympic Video games in Athens in 1896 is the place the custom of awarding medals to winners started. The primary-place winner was given a silver medal, second place was awarded a bronze medal and people who got here in third left empty handed. The now-famous custom of gold, silver and bronze medals started in 1904 on the St. Louis Olympics.
The host metropolis’s organizing committee is chargeable for designing the awards. Laws from the Worldwide Olympic Committee require that the design of every medal consists of the next parts: Nike — the Greek goddess of victory — in entrance of the Panathinaikos Stadium, the official title of the respective Video games (this summer season’s will say “Video games of the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020”) and the Olympic 5 rings image.
What do the 2020 Tokyo Olympic medals appear to be?
The Tokyo 2020 organizing committee headed the “Tokyo 2020 Medal Challenge” to gather small digital units, reminiscent of used cell telephones, all through Japan. The challenge marked the primary time in Olympics historical past the place a number nation included its residents within the manufacturing of medals and used recycled supplies to make awards for the Video games.
A design competitors was created for the general public to submit concepts for a way the awards ought to look. After greater than 400 entries, a design was settled on that embodies the concept that athletes should ”strive for victory on a daily basis” with a view to obtain glory.
All Summer time Olympic medals function the identical Greek goddess: Nike, the goddess of victory. Watch to study why this determine of historical Greek mythology turned a fixture within the Olympic Summer time Video games.
The design of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic medals have the general themes of “mild” and “brilliance,” and can resemble stones that have been as soon as tough however have been polished to now shine. By gathering and reflecting patterns of sunshine, the medals are supposed to be a logo of the power of the athletes on the Olympics and their surrounding supporters. The 2020 Tokyo Olympic medal design is meant to replicate range and symbolize a world during which individuals who work onerous and compete are honored.
Why do Olympians chew their medals?
You could have seen that Olympians don’t simply showcase their medals once they obtain them — they really … go for a style?
The principle motive why Olympians chew their medals is an apparent one: it’s an ideal pose for the cameras.
“It’s develop into an obsession with the photographers,” David Wallechinsky, president of the Worldwide Society of Olympic Historians, told CNN in 2012. “I believe they have a look at it as an iconic shot, as one thing that you could in all probability promote. I don’t assume it’s one thing the athletes would in all probability do on their very own.”
However the place did this follow of Olympians biting their medals originate? Biting cash was as soon as one thing that folks did with a view to see whether or not they have been actual gold or only a cheaper metallic with gold plating. As a result of gold is softer and extra malleable than different metals, a chew into genuine, stable gold would depart an indentation. Nevertheless, this might not work with immediately’s Olympic medals contemplating that the first-place awards Olympians obtain immediately are literally simply 1.34% stable gold.
Successful an Olympic gold medal is a second an athlete will always remember. Attending to relive that second might be simply as emotional for a champion.
Do Olympians hold their medals?
Some Olympians select to maintain their medals and will show them of their houses, whereas others discover distinctive locations to cover the awards.
Swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, told Anderson Cooper after the 2008 Beijing Olympics that he shops his gold medals wrapped in a T-shirt in a touring make-up case. Skier Mikaela Shiffrin told NBC after the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics that she retains her medals in her sock drawer. Soccer participant Christie Pearce (previously Rampone) admitted to hiding her medals within the final place she thought anybody would look: amongst her pots and pans.
How a lot are Olympic medals price?
Some athletes have opted to promote their {hardware}. Earlier than being awarded to an Olympian, medals aren’t price all that a lot. The value of a melted-down gold medal from the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics was about $577, a silver was about $320 and a bronze was price solely $3.50.
It’s solely after the medals are in an Olympian’s fingers that their worth skyrockets. Ukranian boxer Wladimir Klitschko sold his gold medal from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics for $1 million {dollars}, which he then donated to a kids’s charity. American swimmer Anthony Ervin was additionally capable of donate $17,101 to victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami after selling his gold medal from the 2000 Sydney Olympics on eBay.
A Photograph Historical past of Olympic Uniforms
Do American Olympians pay taxes on their medals?
American athletes who gained Olympic medals was once required to pay a “victory tax” — each on the worth of their medal and on reward cash given to them by the US Olympic Committee.
Now, due to former President Barack Obama, Olympic athletes are outdoors the grip of Uncle Sam. Obama signed a bill into law in 2016 that excludes athletes who convey house gold, silver or bronze medals for Group USA from having the IRS knock on their door. Sadly for high-profile athletes like Michael Phelps, the one exception is for many who earn greater than $1 million a yr.
Olympic Medals Adjusted Per Athlete
For the reason that 1896 video games in Athens, the variety of international locations and athletes taking part within the Olympics has ballooned in measurement reducing the variety of medals per athlete for every nation.
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