Olympics - one of the most anticipated worldwide sporting events.Many in the crowd eagerly waiting for the opening ceremony and the subsequent events.And with every Games, many have wondered how much weighs the gold Olympic medal, from which it is made of metal.For example, a medal in Sochi were probably the biggest in the history of the Olympic Games.Try to understand how and why changing the parameters of Olympic medals.
History of
Most athletes who have won many awards, unanimously assured that the most valuable for them is just an Olympic medal.Not coincidentally, many of them miss world competition to be better prepared for this important step in their lives.The first "modern" Games were held in 1896, and it was then developed the first coin.Give them the first three prizes.It is noteworthy that during the Olympic Games in Antiquity medals as such was not.They appeared only in the modern history of the Olympic movement.So, at the first Olympic medal winner and the runner-up was meant silver, 925, and the third-place medal relied covered with six grams of gold.Learn how
During the first games (1896, Greece) winners received 43 sets of medals.On one side of each coin has been portrayed Zeus holding a globe standing on it with the goddess Nike.On the back of the Acropolis was depicted with the inscription in Greek "International Olympic Games."The idea belonged to the painter Jules registration Shaplenu.Weight gold Olympic medals was only 47 grams.
How do design
Gradually appearance medals (size, diameter, design, shape) is beginning to change.For example, in 1900, we are presenting awards rectangular shape (they weighed 53 grams) with the image of the goddess Nike in a laurel wreath on one side and standing on the podium athlete - on the other.On the third Olympic Games medals were embossed while for them the first time were made of bronze chains.It took almost 100 years, and in 1998 awards were created with an additional eye in which it was convenient vdevat tape.Subsequently, this solution was used continuously.
composition
However, not only design, but also the composition Olympic gold medal constantly changing, and not just gold.For example, at the Games in London Bronze award is an alloy of copper (97%), zinc (2.5%) and tin (0.5%).Silver was 92.5% of silver, and the remaining 7.5% - is copper.Gold medal, oddly enough, has also been cast in silver (92.5%) and copper (6.16%), and the gold was nothing at all - about 1%.That is, it turns out that the difference between them is no special, at least with regard to the composition.It is not difficult now as is Olympic gold medal : for the bronze medal on the market would have to pay a maximum of 150 rubles for money - just over 10 000, and the gold would cost about 20 500 rubles.However, unless the price matter?
However, we can say that in the history of the Games there was a medal of pure gold.In 1908 the British on their Olympics decided to be generous soul and produced award of gold 583rd test.However, they were more like commemorative coins than medals.Accordingly, we can roughly imagine how weighs gold Olympic medal - about 21 grams.
form
There were no experiments, and in terms of the form of awards.Of course, the most medals yet round shape, but also oval and rectangular variations also met.For example, at the Olympics in Paris was awarded the so-called plaquettes - awards rectangular shape in which there was not a single inscription.And the Games were confined to the exhibition, which was held in Paris.
in the hand or on the neck?
Another remarkable fact is that before 1960 Olympic medals were awarded directly to hand, that is, they do not hang around the neck.And the first who decided to remedy this situation, the Italians began - they have created a chain of bronze in the form of olive branches.However, during a ceremony girl standing with scissors - what if the athlete does not like what he want to hang a medal around his neck, and not give up.However, the novelty caught on, and now all the awards are hung around the neck, which are equipped with a chain and a ribbon or
addition to the question "how much gold weighs Olympic medal," many more are interested in and the number of awards that are given at the event.So, the researchers say that the record number was served at the Olympic Games in Sochi - about 1300 pieces.Such an extension is associated with the fact that the program of the Games has also become wider.For example, at the Games in Vancouver were 86 sets of medals, and in Sochi - already 98. And in the first Winter Games in Chamonix was only 16 sets of medals (9 sports).
instead of honey - House
But in antiquity did not think about how much it cost Olympic gold medal.Ancient Greeks and Romans did not know of their existence, and as the awards were home, land, bags of gold coins.The first winner of the Olympic Hercules as a reward at all was an olive branch, and nothing - not offended.It is interesting that in ancient times awarded the winner only.Much later, in 1984, raised the issue of increasing the number of prizes and medals are now awarded to three winners.
original medal Olympic records
However, records set, not only athletes, but also the creators of the award.For example, the heaviest medals awarded in Vancouver - their weight is 576 grams, in Salt Lake City awards weighed 567 grams.But the biggest size was the Turin medals, more similar to a CD.The smallest, as we have said, there were medals handed athletes in 1908 in London.
Award in Sochi features
The process of manufacturing awards for such large-scale events is fairly complex, not by chance every Olympic gold medal (photo shows how different were awards in different years) is individual and special.For example, samples, which were produced for the Games in Sochi, were a huge number of inspections and tests.Each instance was assessed not only visually, but also in terms of quality.For example, it turned out that the Sochi medal to withstand any incident, whether it be swimming in champagne or check "to the tooth".
Sochi Olympic gold medal is made of sterling silver (for each award it took 525 grams of metal) and six grams of gold.By the way, these are the requirements of the IOC.But medals of silver and bronze have been completely made of appropriate materials.It is noteworthy also that the reward for the Olympics and Paralympics differ in weight and design, and size.In addition, they applied to the special elements of Braille to read the inscriptions might champions with poor eyesight.
Many athletes keep Olympic medals as the main achievement of his life.But among them there are those who would prefer to give up a cherished reward.For example, a sprinter Tommie Smith in 2010 put his medal for sale, although this was done in order to combat racism in the United States.A swimmer from Poland Otilia Edrzheychak sold his medal to help children with leukemia.
