Beijing 2022 Olympic medals revealed

The medals for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 were revealed this week in China as part of a series of activities planned to celebrate 100 days to go until the Olympic Winter Games begin.

They are composed of rings and a center, based on the ancient Chinese jade concentric circle pendants, with five rings representing the Chinese cultural connotation of “the unity of heaven and earth and the unity of people’s hearts.” The design also symbolizes the Olympic spirit of bringing people together from all over the world to participate in the Games.

The medals’ design echoes the jade-inlaid medals of the Olympic Summer Games Beijing 2008, reinforcing the significance of Beijing as the first “dual Olympic city” to host both summer and winter editions of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The name of each medal event will be engraved on the outermost ring on the back of the medal, while there are also 24 points and arcs engraved on the rings, similar to an ancient astronomical map. This symbolizes the vast starry sky, the harmony between humans and nature and the ambitions of athletes to reach the very peak of their performance during the Games.

The medal ribbon is woven using the traditional mulberry silk method. The ice and snow pattern is printed with the emblem of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, the words “Beijing 2022” and other elements. The red ribbon reflects the cultural characteristics of the Chinese Spring Festival and extends the festival’s warm wishes to the athletes.

Based on the principle that the two Winter Games are equally special, the medals of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are inspired by the same concept and use the same design.

The Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 begin on Feb. 4 and will close on Feb. 20. They will be followed by the Paralympic Games, which will be held from March 4-13.

Release courtesy of the International Olympic Committee.