VIDEO: Olympic medals contain piece of historic Paris landmark
The Paralympic and Olympic medalists will walk away with something truly one-of-a-kind.
People all around the world only have one thing on their minds: The 2024 Olympic and Paralympic games!
Residents are excited to support their country's most elite athletes who have made their way to Paris.
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Every four years, viewers and spectators become immersed in the variety of sports taking place, hoping that their country will walk away with a few medals.
For the athletes, winning an Olympic or Paralympic medal is one of the greatest accomplishments.
While growing up, they put in the hours during practice and working as hard as they can, they dream of climbing on the podium and winning gold.
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Unfortunately, not everyone can win a gold, bronze or silver medal, but they can still hold their heads up high, knowing that they have participated in the most iconic sports event in the world.
For those who manage to win one of the most prestigious awards in the sporting world, it is something special.
This year, the Games are returning to France, and to celebrate, the medals have a truly special design.
Paris 2024 worked with jeweller Chaumet, a LVMH Group company, to come up with this unique design.
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They have also shared the story behind each element of the design but there is one piece that makes it unlike any other medal in the world.
A search was opened to find an idea that would fully symbolise the identity of these Games and the winning idea was to associate the most iconic monument in Paris and France with the iconic Games medal.
So a piece of the Eiffel Tower was included in every single 2024 Olympic and Paralympic medal.
The monument has undergone many renovations and restoration processes, with some pieces being permanently removed and conserved.
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The Eiffel Tower Operating Company has given permission for the tower to be used in these medals, allowing these pieces of authentic French history to find glory once again.
The original iron from the tower was shaped into a hexagon, France's geometric shape, and placed in the centre of the medal.
It was also stripped of its brown paint and returned to its natural colour.
For more on the specific design of the two medals, watch the video below:
Here is a closer look at the medals:
The back of the Olympic and Paralympic medals:
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Main image courtesy of AFP