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Summary:
- Pieces of iron from the Eiffel Tower were incorporated into the Paris 2024 Olympic medals
- French jeweler Chaumet makes history as the first jeweler to design an Olympic medal
- Both the Olympic and Paralympic Games will use the same medal design and torch
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are scheduled for July 26 – August 11, followed by the Paralympic Games which will run from August 28 to September 8.
Organizers have unveiled the design of the medals up for grabs at one of the largest sporting events of the year.
As confirmed on the Paris 2024 website, each medal is embellished with an original piece of the Eiffel Tower, the iconic monument of Paris and France. This is in celebration of the return of the Olympic Games to the City of Light which last hosted the event in 1924.
Eiffel Tower at the Center of Paris 2024 Olympics Medals
The Paris 2024 medals feature a hexagonal centerpiece that contains ironwork from the Eiffel Tower, organizers revealed in a Feb. 8 press release. The hexagon of iron comes from pieces of metal removed from the 19th-century landmark during previous renovations. The preserved pieces of iron were donated to the Paris Olympic committee and were then repurposed to create a unique and symbolic design for the medals.
The incorporation of Eiffel Tower elements into the medals would ensure winning athletes walk away with “veritable pieces of the history of Paris”, organizers said.
World-renowned French jeweler Chaumet took charge of the design, making it the first jeweler in history to design the Olympic medals. Chaumet is part of the luxury LVMH Group which signed a major sponsorship deal with Paris 2024 last year. Antoine Arnault of LVMH Image & Environment said the Chaumet creative team has conceived each medal as a jewel, illustrating the shared vocation of the group – the ability to make people dream.
Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024, said medals are much more than objects as they represent excellence, ultimate achievement, and the culmination of an athlete’s career.
Olympic, Paralympic Games Unite in 2024
Paris 2024 is making history as for the first time ever, the Olympic and Paralympic Games will share the same medal design. The medals for the Paralympic Games will also feature the hexagon of iron from the Eiffel Tower.
Additionally, both events will use just one torch. As announced in July last year, the Olympic torch, designed by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur, will be the same torch that will be used in the Paralympics. The move, according to Estanguet, represents a coming together of both events.
With the games fast approaching, check the latest French sports betting sites, for the latest odds on the most popular events.
