 A silver medal awarded to the winner of an event at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. | |
| Awarded for | Given to successful competitors in various Olympic Sports |
|---|---|
| Presented by | International Olympic Committee |
| History | |
| First award | 1896 |
| Website | www.olympic.org/ |
| Olympic Games |
|---|
 |
| Main topics |
| Games |
| Regional games |
| Defunct games |
An Olympic medal is awarded to successful competitors at one of the Olympic Games. There are three classes of medal to be won: gold, silver, and bronze, awarded to first, second, and third place, respectively. The granting of awards is laid out in detail in the Olympic protocols.
Medal designs have varied considerably since the Games in 1896, particularly in the size of the medals for the Summer Olympic Games. The design selected for the 1928 Games remained until its replacement at the 2004 Games in Athens, where the use of the Roman Colosseum was replaced by the Greek Panathenaic Stadium,[1] appropriate to represent Olympic values. The medals of the Winter Olympic Games never had a common design, but regularly feature snowflakes and the event where the medal has been won.
In addition to generally supporting their Olympic athletes, some countries provide sums of money and gifts to medal winners, depending on the classes and number of medals won.[2] In the 2024 Paris Games, 33 countries confirmed that they would award prizes to medallists, with 15 awarding cash prizes over $100,000.[3]
- ^ "Athens 2004, the medals". Olympics.com. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ Stewart, Emily (22 July 2021). "The price of Olympic glory". Vox. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
- ^ "The prizes Olympic athletes can win if they bring home medals". Sky News. Retrieved 4 August 2024.