2024 Paris Olympics

Medalists get a box while on the podium — but what's in it?

Athletes receive special memorabilia along with their medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

As athletes stand on the podium to accept their medals, they are also handed a slender, gold box. But what's inside?

Olympians are gifted the official poster for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which is tucked inside the 40-centimeter box, according to the Olympics official website.

Australian canoeist Jessica Fox, who already won two gold medals at this year's Games, gave a close-up look at the unique memorabilia in a TikTok video on July 31.

"A lot of people have been asking, 'What's in the box that we get given on the podium when we receive our medals in Paris," Fox said in the clip.

"Usually we get the mascot or we get flowers, but this time, it's a little bit more unique, and I think it's actually a really cool concept," she continued.

Fox unraveled her colorful poster with a gold detail on it, which she explained can be either gold, silver or bronze, depending on the athlete's medal.

Paris 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics

Watch all the action from the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games live on Peacock

Will Los Angeles 2028 be the moment when the Paralympics conquer America?

China tops Paralympics final medal table, Team USA places third

The poster was created by renowned illustrator Ugo Gattoni, who invested close to four months and 2,000 hours into its design and production, the artist said in a March interview on Olympics.com.

Joachim Roncin, the director of design for the 2024 Paris Olympics, told Olympics.com that he "wanted the poster to tell countless things, to be full of symbols."

"There are many small details, they're stories within the stories," he added.

Gattoni's design features a "fantasy city" that doubles as a grand stadium with Parisian landmarks, like the Eiffel Tower, River Seine and Arc de Triomphe. It also includes symbols of the Games, such as the Olympic rings, the Agitos and Olympic medals, plus depictions of several sports like diving, breaking and swimming.

In a historic first for the Games, both the Olympic and Paralympic posters were designed together, according to the Olympics website. Though each poster can stand alone, when combined, Gattoni's design becomes a singular, united image.

Gattoni produced the poster by hand and is "very happy with it," per his March interview on the Olympics website. He said at the time that he looked forward to seeing "how much people appreciate it."

Posters have been created for the Olympic Games since the early 20th century, according to the Olympic Museum's official website.

In addition to the poster, medalists will also receive a mascot plush toy, inspired by Phrygian caps, with their medal's color and the word "Bravo" in French, per the Olympics website.

While the Olympic medals are a customary gift for winning athletes, this year's awards also have a special touch to them: Each gold, silver and bronze medal has an 18-gram hexagonal piece of iron from the Eiffel Tower embedded in its design.

This article first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

Copyright Today Digital Originals
Contact Us