The Paris 2024 Olympics are well underway and millions of sports fans from around the world have been glued to their tellies while keeping tabs on the competition.
The international event is a smorgasbord of talent and medals are being handed out left, right and centre to triumphant athletes on the podiums, but there’s also another unusual gift bestowed upon them too.
Seen as though the Olympics is held every four years, it can be hard to keep track of all the traditions and novelties which are part and parcel of it, but don’t worry – as we’re here to nudge you in the right direction.
After the competitors from each country around the world have battled it out, the three top contenders who have earned a gold, silver or bronze medal all head to the podiums to take their positions.
Whether or not they shove them inside their gobs and bite them so that photographers can get that ‘money shot’ is another story, but it turns out that they might also balance them between their teeth because their hands are so full.
Winning athletes at the Olympics are awarded a mysterious box on the podium too (Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
As we all know, the lucky bugger who bagged first place is on the highest platform, while those who were right on their tail are flanking them on either side.
Then, members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) dole out the medals to the deserving athletes, as well as another mysterious prize.
You might have noticed that winners also walk away with a small box, but do you know what’s inside of it?
Well, a pat on the back if you do – as a ton of people have no clue.
In the words of Brad Pitt in Seven….”What’s in the box?!“
Fine, we’ll tell you – what’s inside this peculiar package is quite an interesting souvenir.
It’s the official Olympic poster for this year’s Games, which have been designed by French artist Ugo Gattoni.
He is said to have spent a whopping 2,000 hours painstakingly designing the cartoon-style drawing of this year’s host city over a period of four months.
They contain a keepsake to remind sports stars of the international event (Xavier Laine/Getty Images)
The director of design at the Paris Olympics, Joachim Roncin, explained that he wanted the illustration to ‘tell the story of Paris 2024’ as an ‘overview of the entire project’.
And luckily for fans, you can pick one up for yourself in Paris or purchase one online as a memento of the event – not that we will be forgetting it in a hurry, anyway.
We’ve had show-stopping performances at the Opening Ceremony from Lady Gaga and Celine Dion, a Minions cameo and a bloke lying on a platter of fruit, painted blue, who has been branded a ‘blue scrotum’.
And that was before any games had even begun.
Anyway, according to the IOC, winners also walk away with a ‘medal-winning mascot’, which they are awarded after they have left the podium.
This time, they have been created by the Doudou & Compagnie factory based in La Guerche-de-Bretagne, France.
The IOC explains: “Gold, silver or bronze medals are represented by the medal emblem sewn onto the mascot’s belly, by the colour of the trainers and by the text ‘Bravo’ in French on the back of the Phryge.”
A medal, a poster and a mini mascot? What more could they want, eh?
