Mystery Inside the Medal Winners’ Box at the Olympics
During the recent Olympics, medal winners were presented with a unique rectangular box on the podium. This intriguing item, given alongside their medals, has piqued the curiosity of many.
At the Le Golf National, doubts about golf’s impact at the Olympics were dispelled during the men’s tournament. In just its third edition since a hiatus of over 100 years, the event saw US player Scottie Scheffler claim victory after a thrilling final round. Scheffler edged out Team GB’s Tommy Fleetwood by one shot and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama by two.
The significance of the achievement was evident on the podium, as the World No.1 became emotional. Along with his gold medal, Scheffler received a mysterious gold rectangular box. But what was inside?
Every Olympic medal winner, including Fleetwood and Matsuyama, received this box. It is also set to be awarded after the women’s golf tournament.
The official Olympics website reveals that the box, approximately 40cm (15.7in) long, contains the official poster designed by illustrator Ugo Gattoni. Gattoni created two posters for the Games: one for the Olympics and another for the upcoming Paralympics. Both posters were meticulously crafted manually, without AI assistance, over four months, totaling nearly 2,000 hours of work.
Additionally, medal winners receive another special gift post-ceremony: a mascot representing their medal (gold, silver, or bronze) with the corresponding medal emblem sewn into its belly. This completes an impressive array of rewards for their outstanding achievements.