As a tribute to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, this infographic showcases the distinctive medals, emphasizing their innovative features and drawing comparisons to past Games.
A standout aspect of this year's medals is the hexagon at the center, crafted from iron—marking the first time iron has been incorporated into Olympic medals. This iron is specially sourced from recycled parts of the Eiffel Tower, allowing each medalist to take home a piece of Parisian history.
The hexagon design reflects France's nickname, “The Hexagon,” due to its geographical shape.
Each medal primarily consists of recycled metals: gold and silver for the gold medal, silver for the silver medal, and a blend of copper, tin, and zinc for the bronze medal.
The recycling trend isn't new; it dates back to the Sydney 2000 Games, where withdrawn one-cent and two-cent coins contributed to the bronze medals. At 455 g, this year’s bronze medal requires about 33 two-cent coins or 66 one-cent coins—linking athletes to Australian history.
The 2016 Rio Games utilized recycled silver from various sources, while Tokyo 2020 sourced metals from 6.21 million recycled mobile phones.
