" There are many small detail , they ’re stories within the stories . "
Ever wondered what you win if you compete at the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games? Despite my personal odds of such a feat being 0%, the answer did somewhat surprise me.
Let’s start with the obvious: If you score in the top three of your sport, you win a medal. This year’s medals were made by luxury brand Chaumet andincludeliteral pieces of the Eiffel Tower that were preserved during 20th-century elevator renovations.
The hexagon further represents the shape ofFrance, while the ribbonsfeaturea print of the latticework in the Eiffel Tower. For Paralympians, the ribbon’s red color harks back to the tower’s original color. The back of the medal includesBraillefor “Paris” and “2024” and a ground-up view of the monument.
British kayaker Kimberley Woods showed the back of the Olympic medals onTikTok, whichdepictstheGreek goddessof victory, Nike, in Paris.
Kimberley also showed the Chaumet box that the medal comes in, which includes acertificatefrom the Eiffel Tower Operating Co. that verifies that the iron is indeed from the monument.
Next, you may have noticed athletes on the podium holding a long, skinny box. In previous years, Olympians have held flowers or the country’s mascot — such asSimone Bilesin 2016.
In the box is a poster designed by Ugo Gattoni. It was drawn by hand andtook2,000 hours. “I wanted to tell the story of Paris 2024,” Joachim Roncin, director of design at Paris 2024said. “I wanted the poster to tell countless things, to be full of symbols. There are many small details, they’re stories within the stories." You’ll notice that the Olympic and Paralympic posters combine to make one big image.
As per Team Australia canoeist Jessica Fox’sTikTok, the poster is marked with the Olympian’s medal color as well as an “Athlete’s Edition” title.
Post-ceremony, the athletes alsowina special mascot (the Phryge) with a medal sewn into their belly. For Olympians, “bravo” is sewn on the Phryge’s back while it’s written in Braille for the Paralympians. It’ll also be what the Paralympians will bepresentedwith on the podium — they’ll get their posters later.
As for cash rewards, it depends on what country you’re from as the International Olympic Committeedoesn’tgive out money. In the US, that’s $38,000 for gold, $23,000 for silver, and $15,000 for bronze. This varies pretty wildly — in Hong Kong, you can get $768,000.
All in all, a good haul!
