Winter Olympics 2022 - What are Olympic medals made of? Why are athletes given Pandas on the podium in Beijing?

Updated 18/02/2022 at 05:06 GMT

Beijing 2022 viewers may have been quick to notice that athletes have been accustomed to receiving the official Olympics mascot - a cuddly Panda named Bing Dwen Dwen - but why are they issued these instead of medals? Do athletes receive medals in Beijing? What are the medals actually made of? Watch every event live from Beijing 2022 across Eurosport, the Eurosport app and discovery+

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Petra Vlhova, Nathan Chen and Eileen Gu are among the stars to have claimed top prize on the world’s biggest stage at Beijing 2022, but viewers may have noticed a change in podium ceremonies.

The medal ceremonies at Tokyo 2020 were switched up due to Covid regulations - which saw athletes having to put medals around their own necks - but that idea had seemingly been scrapped in Beijing. Instead, athletes have been seen awarded Pandas on the podium.

Ahead of the Games, the official Olympic website announced that medals - named "Tong Xin", meaning ‘together as one’ - to be dished out to athletes will feature the "jade-inlaid medals of the Summer Games in 2008", to highlight Beijing being the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.

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However, some viewers will be surprised to discover that the prestigious Olympic gold medals are actually only 1.34% gold, so what are they actually made of?

WHAT ARE OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS MADE OF?

The outer casting of the gold medals (what you can see) is made out of real gold, but underneath it’s almost entirely silver.

They’re required to be made of at least 92.5% silver, and only need to be made up of six grams of gold minimum. With 1.34% gold, the remaining 6.16% is made up of copper.

YANQING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 17: Gold medallist Michelle Gisin of Team Switzerland poses during the Women's Alpine Combined medal ceremony on day 13 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at National Alpine Ski Centre on February 17, 2022 in Yanqing, China

Image credit: Eurosport

At the Games in Tokyo, medals were made up of recycled electronic devices donated by the Japanese public.

According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), other must-have elements that have to be included on medals are the five Olympic rings and the official name of the tournament. The name of each event are also engraved on the Beijing medals.

WHAT IS THE PANDA ATHLETES ARE GIVEN ON THE PODIUM?

The official Olympic mascot - Bing Dwen Dwen - is the Panda that can be seen being issued to successful athletes that secure a podium finish. “Bing” means ice, whilst also symbolising purity and strength, and "Dwen Dwen" means robust and lively and also represents children - according to the official Olympic website.

BEIJING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 14: Plush toys of the Beijing 2022 Olympics mascot panda Bing Dwen Dwen are seen during the Ice Dance Free Dance flower ceremony on day ten of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Capital Indoor Stadium on February 14, 2022 i

Image credit: Eurosport

Athletes do eventually get their hands on the real deal, though. Shortly after the ceremony at the event location where they receive their edition of Bing Dwen Dwen, they pick up their gold, silver or bronze medals at the medal ceremony at a special plaza. Just like in Tokyo, the covid restrictions continue and athletes put their own medals on to reduce the risk of infection.

The Panda is wrapped in a sheet of ice to protect them from the traditional winter olympics elements, whilst also being developed into all sorts of merchandise, including toys, key chains and pillows.

The Bing Dwen Dwen merch has been selling like hotcakes in Beijing, with locals after a piece of history to celebrate the first Olympic dual city. Truckloads more of the mascot have been ordered to fulfill the country’s Olympic fever.

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