Athletes at the Paris Olympics 2024 are battling for the ultimate glory on the grand stage and all eyes are on the top finishers. The medals are also distributed as the standings of the teams and athletes with the third-place finisher winning the bronze medal, the second-place finisher winning the silver medal and the ultimate winner bagging the gold medal. With all the glitters around the gold medal winners, many fans wonder whether the medal is made of actual gold. Paris Olympics 2024: Why Do Athletes Bite Their Medals? Know Reason Behind the Ritual.

Are Gold Medals at Paris Olympics 2024 Really Made of Gold?

In reality, the medals distributed back in the early Olympic games were made of 100% pure gold. But being a softer metal, its longevity was sacrificed. As for the Paris Olympics 2024, the gold and silver medals are both made of silver. The gold medals are then coated with gold. Each Olympic gold medal is made up of 210g of silver and is coated with 6g of 24-carat gold. The bronze medals are made of copper, zinc, tin, and a very small amount of silver.

In terms of purities in the medal, the gold medal is composed of mostly silver with a purity of at least 92.5% and plated with a least 6 grams of 100% pure gold. The silver medal is composed of silver with a purity of at least 92.5%. But in reality, the shine of the medal winner has more aura than the medal itself in sports.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 31, 2024 07:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).