With just over 50 days until the start of the XXXI Olympiad in Rio de Janeiro the organisers have revealed the designs of medals athletes will compete for.
The designs feature laurel leaves – a symbol of victory in ancient Greece – surrounding the Rio 2016 Olympic logo. The laurel leaves represent the link between the force of nature and Olympians.
According to Olympic Games tradition, the other side of the medals features an image of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory with the Panathinaiko(s?) Stadium and the Acropolis in the background.
During the Olympics a total of 2,488 medals, each weighing 500g, have been produced - with 812 gold, 812 silver and 864 bronze.
There are 2,642 Paralympic medals: 877 gold, 876 silver and 889 bronze and each has a device inside that uses tiny steel balls to make a sound when they are shaken, allowing visually impaired athletes to identify the colour by increasing in volume from bronze to gold.
The bronze medals have 16 steel balls and make the lowest sound, the silver medals have 20 balls and the golds have 28, producing the loudest noise.All of the medals also have the words 'Rio 2016 Paralympic Games' written on them in Braille.
