Medals unveiled for Beijing 2022 with 100 days to go until the start of the Games

The design of the medals for the 2022 Winter Olympics and 2022 Winter Paralympics were revealed during a ceremony celebrating 100 days to go until the Games. Athletes will be hoping to get their hands on “Tong Xin,” the name given to the medals by organizers, during their time at the Games.

The medals for the Olympic Games were unveiled first by Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, along with two Chinese gold medal winning athletes, Yang Yang and Zhang Yufei. The medals for the Paralympic Games were then unveiled by Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan, along with two Chinese Paralympic gold medalists, Rong Jing and Hou Bin.

The designs of the medals for the Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympics are nearly identical. The only noticeable difference being the use of the Agitos versus the use of the Olympic Rings.

According to Beijing 2022, the design of the medals is based on ancient Chinese jade concentric circle pendants. The five concentric rings are meant to signify “the unity of heaven and earth and the unity of people’s hearts.”

The design of the medal is also reminiscent of the design used for the 2008 Summer Olympics to draw attention to the fact that Beijing will become the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.

The backside of the medals are meant to resemble ancient astronomical maps, with the Olympic medals featuring 24 engraved points, and the Paralympic medals featuring 13 engraved points. Those numbers were chosen as they mirror the edition of the respective Games.

According to Beijing 2022, the ribbon used for the medals was woven using the traditional mulberry silk method. The ribbons match the look of the Games and are meant to invoke the Chinese Spring Festival with the red coloring used.

The medal box, which athletes are given to store their medals in, is made of lacquer and bamboo as a nod to both Chinese culture and the “Green Olympics” sustainability initiative.

Deputy Director General of the Beijing 2022 Culture and Ceremonies Department Gao Tian, commented, “it is meaningful to release the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games medals at the ceremony for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 100 Days to Go countdown because it signifies that the preparations for the Winter Games are complete.”

“As one of the most important design elements of the Winter Games, medals promote the Olympic Spirit and symbolise the glory of athletes. It is the most glorious moment of the Games for an athlete to be awarded a medal.”

“The medal design’s unveiling at this important milestone also indicates that Beijing 2022 is ready to welcome athletes from around the world to Beijing and Zhangjiakou to display their indomitable spirit and compete for the glory of their country.”

KEEP READING: