Winning an Olympic gold medal is considered a crowning achievement for an athlete, so it's only fitting that the physical medal represents the significance.
What's on each gold medal is special for every Olympic Games. Still, Paris 2024 is particularly notable because, when athletes win gold, they will take home a piece of the Eiffel Tower, an iconic landmark of the host city.
The Eiffel Tower played a major role in the Paris 2024 opening ceremony. From beaming lights and the Olympic rings to the comeback performance of Celine Dion, La Tour Eiffel it showcased its grandeur to the world. And now, it will be part of the athletes' medal collections.
What else is unique about these gold medals and how are they connected to the Eiffel Tower? Here's what to know.
According to multiple reports, around 5,804 medals were developed for Paris 2024, which note that approximately 2,600 medals have been created for the Olympics and 2,400 for the Paralympics.
The gold medal weighs 1.17 pounds. The silver medal, by comparison, weighs 1.16 pounds while the bronze is one pound.
Chaumet, the French luxury jewelry and watch brand, designed the Olympic medals. Founded in 1780, Chaumet is owned by LMVH (Mot Hennessey Louis Vuitton).
The Olympic gold medal consists of three features: the hexagon, radiance, and setting.
In the middle of the medal is a hexagon. It pays homage to France's nickname Lhexagone given the country's roughly six-sided shape.
The hexagon is surrounded by several strand-like shapes. This symbolizes the radiant light, as Paris is often referred to as the city of light.
On the six edges of the hexagon are claw settings. The shape is similar to those found in the rivets on the Eiffel Tower.
The Eiffel Tower was the defining fixture of the 1889 World Fair. The original tower was made with wrought iron.
When the Eiffel Tower underwent renovations in the 20th century, they preserved pieces of the original iron and kept them in storage. Those chunks make up the hexagon figure in the middle of the Olympic gold medal.
According to multiple reports, 0.04 pounds of iron renovation pieces from the Eiffel Tower are included in each medal.
Gold, silver, and bronze medals began at the 1904 St. Louis Olympic Games. It's estimated that 1,011 medals will be handed out at Paris 2024. This is the first time a piece of a city's historic landmark is included in an Olympic medal.
According to Forbes, a Paris 2024 Olympic gold medal is worth approximately $950.
The gold medal is placed around the winning athlete's neck atop the podium. The athlete also receives a stuffed souvenir of the Paris 2024 mascot. Then, the national anthem of the winning athlete country plays -- a tradition that began for gold medalists at medal ceremonies in 1932.