As medals are awarded at the 2024 Paris Olympics, athletes are receiving more than just their coveted hardware. Observers have noticed winners receiving a slim, mysterious box alongside their medals, sparking curiosity about its contents.
Unique medals
Medals at Paris 2024 will each contain a small piece of original metal from the Eiffel Tower as part of their medals.
“We wanted these medals to be truly unique, to bear the Paris 2024 signature. To achieve this, we married the strongest symbol of the Games, the medal, with the ultimate symbol of Paris and France around the world, the Eiffel Tower,” said Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet.
They were designed by craftsmen at Parisian jewellers Chaumet, now part of the Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton(LVMH) Group. Medals are much more than just objects, they are a symbol of excellence, a source of motivation of surpassing oneself, and of ultimate achievement,” Estanguet added.
Each medal has a diameter of 85 millimetres and will be 9.2 mm thick. Each will have an Eiffel Tower insert of 18 grams in the shape of a hexagon. The metal had been preserved when the Tower underwent renovations in the last century.
“With this unique metal from the Eiffel Tower, this medal has a historic character” insisted Jean-François Martins, President of the Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel.
“Paris 2024 is giving continuity to Gustave Eiffel’s audacity,” said a Paris 2024 statement.
The medals were created in consultation with members of the Paris 2024 Athletes’ Commission led by Martin Fourcade and included Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
Unveiling the mystery box
According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the enigmatic box contains the official Olympic poster for this year’s Summer Games. Designed by French artist Ugo Gattoni, the poster is a work of art, with Gattoni dedicating 2,000 hours over four months to its creation. Fans can purchase the poster online or in Paris, making it a sought-after piece of Olympic memorabilia.
Additional gifts for medalists
Olympic medalists are also awarded another special item: a plushie of the 2024 Paris Olympics official mascot, the Phryges. These mascots are inspired by Phrygian caps, or liberty caps, known for their association with the French Revolution. Each plushie features a gold, silver, or bronze medal emblem on its belly, corresponding to the medal the athlete has won. Additionally, the word “Bravo” is embroidered on the back of the plushie in French, offering warm congratulations.
For winners in the Paralympic Games, the rewards are similar. They receive the official event poster along with a Paralympic Phryge plushie, tailored to celebrate their achievements with the same level of recognition and honour. The inclusion of these unique gifts highlights the organizers’ effort to celebrate and honour the athletes’ achievements beyond the traditional medals, adding a personal and memorable touch to their Olympic experience.
