Paris Olympics 2024: How big are Olympic medals and what are they made of?

Three medals are up for grabs at the quadrennial event- gold, silver and bronze. What goes into making them? Sportstar explains this in the following article.

France’s Steven Da Costa is pictured with his gold medal in the men’s -67kg kumite event of the karate competition during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. | Photo Credit: AFP

Athletes across the world dedicate years of their lives hoping they will get a place on an Olympic podium.

Three medals are up for grabs at the quadrennial event- gold, silver and bronze. What goes into making them?

Take the Olympic gold medal for instance - one of the most prestigious achievements in sports. A common question is whether they are made of pure gold.

The answer is no. Olympic gold medals are not made of pure gold now. They are just plated with it. The last time pure gold medals were used, dates back to the 1912 Stockholm Games. 

What are Olympic medals made of?

The current guidelines prescribed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) say that gold medals should contain a minimum of six grams of 24 carat gold. What forms the bulk of the medal (210g) is silver. 

The bronze medals are made of copper, zinc, tin, and a very small amount of silver.

How big should the Olympic medals be?

According to the IOC, medals should be at least 60mm in diameter and 3mm thick.

What are the design guidelines for the Olympic medals?

The IOC stipulates that Olympic medals should have:

• Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, in front of the Panathinaikos Stadium.
• The official name of the respective Games, in this case, Games of the XXXIII Olympiad Paris 2024.
• The Olympic five Rings symbol.