Published: 09:35, February 9, 2024 | Updated: 16:48, February 9, 2024
Paris 2024 medallists to take piece of Eiffel Tower home

The Paris 2024 Olympic medals are pictured at the Paris Olympic organizers in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, on Feb 8, 2024. (PHOTO / AP)

PARIS - Medallists at the Paris Olympics will be rewarded with a piece of the Eiffel Tower, organizers said on Thursday as they unveiled the hexagon-shaped medals forged out of scrap metal from the monument.

The idea was to link the Games with symbols of France, said Thierry Reboul, creative director of Paris 2024.

"The absolute symbol of Paris and France is the Eiffel Tower," said Reboul. "It's the opportunity for the athletes to bring back a piece of Paris with them."

The Paris 2024 Olympic gold medal is presented to the press, in Paris, on Feb 1, 2024. (PHOTO / AP)

Designed by jeweller Chaumet, the 18-gram hexagon tokens, representing the shape of France, are made of iron from past refurbishments of the Tower stored for years in a warehouse whose location is secret.

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They sit in the center of the gold, silver and bronze medals, ringed with grooves evoking light rays bursting outward – drawn from a tiara design in Chaumet’s archives.

The back of the medals features the Greek goddess of victory, Nike, charging forward, with the Acropolis to one side and the Eiffel Tower to the other.

This picture shows upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics medals designed by Fench luxury jewellery house Chaumet, on Feb 01, 2024 during their presentation at the Eiffel tower in Paris. (PHOTO / AFP)

Paralympics medals feature a view of the Eiffel Tower from underneath, and are stamped with Paris 2024 in braille – homage to the Frenchman who invented it.

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The 5,084 medals are produced by France’s mint, the Monnaie de Paris.

The Games are scheduled for July 26 to Aug 11.