The Rio 2016 Olympic Medals have a new look and a slant towards sustainability.
As soon as any athlete climbs onto the podium to receive their hard earned medal, they only have eyes for one thing, be it bronze, silver or gold. The medals are unquestionably a massive part of the Olympics, and this year we have another thing to admire in them: the materials used in their production.
For the Rio 2016 Games, the designers Claudia Gamboa, Dalacio Reis, Ney Valle, Diana Fidelis, Elmo Rosa, Júlia Haiad and Mariana Brant have come up with a stunning set of medals. The three types of medal all have a diameter of 85mm, weigh 500g and are 12mm thick. They are decorated on the front with leaves of gold and on the back is the Goddess Nike.
The ribbons attached to the medals are made of 50% recycled PET bottles, whilst the cases the medals are to be kept in are made from wood obtained from sustainable and socially responsible sources. In all, there are 2,488 medals for the Olympics and 2,642 for the Paralympics.
While on the subject of the Paralympics, this year’s medals have been developed to be appreciated by athletes with impaired vision, allowing them to tell the difference between gold, silver and bronze.
