Olympics, yes—that one time when we Indians pivoted our attention from cricket and took some actual interest in other sports. It usually heightens when there’s a win, which is somewhat unfortunate and really speaks volumes about how little we care about other sports. But the tide is changing, the interest is piquing, and audiences are now exposing themselves to a vast array of sports.
Since all our feeds are replete with content from the Olympic games, a post brought to my attention the inclusion of the Eiffel Tower into the medals. Yes, the medals actually have a piece of the monument in their composition. Now, I’m no scientist or chemical engineer to dissect the specifics, but here’s a simple explanation for a layman (that’s me!) that’s not in Morse code.
The Eiffel Tower’s lifts underwent a modernisation mandate in the 20th century. Consequently, parts of the tower were permanently removed and meticulously preserved. The Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel then granted these authentic fragments of French and Parisian history a second home in anticipation of the forthcoming Olympic Games.
Through a process known as puddling, cast iron was created by reducing iron ore and refined in the forges of Lorraine. The iron that remains after the surplus carbon from the cast iron is removed and becomes nearly pure and durable. This small gesture indeed adds a literal touch of the rich legacy of the nation to the Olympic medal, making it worth much more. The metallic remnants of the Eiffel Tower are carved into hexagonal pieces and put into the centre of the corresponding medals.
View this post on Instagram
About 5,084 medals have been made for the Paris Games: about 5,084 medals have been made; roughly 2,600 for the Olympics and 2,400 for the Paralympics. Each medal includes 18 grams of iron recovered from leftovers from the Eiffel Tower refurbishment. A distinctive feature of the Paralympic medal is the writing “Paris” and “2024” at the top and bottom, with the exact words engraved in Braille on the left and right sides of the medal. This is an homage to Louis Braille, the French inventor of Braille.
Compared to 525 grams for silver and 455 grams for bronze, one gold medal weighs around 529 grams. Where’s mine, though?
Beyond Medals
Additionally, winners stand a chance to win multiple cash benefits from their countries, with the Indian government (Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, to be specific) giving out 30 lakh for bronze winners, 50 lakhs for silver, and 75 lakhs for gold awardees at the Olympic games. They also get multiple goodies in the box, including the official poster of the games designed by Ugo Gattoni. Having taken four months and almost 2,000 hours to create, it’s of note how art and sport share an intrinsic relationship that boasts of a welcome overlap between legacy and history in the true Parisian way!
Also Read: ELLE Exclusive: Mattel Launches A Blind Barbie Doll Championing True Inclusion
