Olympic Medals

In 2003, before the Olympic Games in Athens of 2004, the International Olympic Committee announced an international competition to replace a drawing by Italian artist Giuseppe Cassioli depicting the seated Goddess Niki against the backdrop of the Colosseum, a Roman monument unrelated to country of Games. For the first time, the main face of the medals was to be changed since the Olympic Games in Amsterdam in 1928. The aim of the redesign was for the medals to reflect and remind the Greek origin and identity of the Olympic Games that began in Ancient Olympia in 776 BC and revived in 1896 at the Panathenaic Stadium. On July 2 2003, presented in Prague, by the president of “Athens 2004” Gianna Angelopoulou, was the permanent face of the medals, as decided by the International Olympic Committee. The design was created by Elena Votsi and the decision was pivotal, as the medals have since reflected the Greekness of the Games through the centuries.

The main face, which will adorn the medals of all upcoming Olympic Games, depicts the statue of Nike of Paionios (ca. 425–420 BC), created by the sculptor Paionios of Mende. The statue, carved from Parian marble, shows the goddess Nike descending from the heavens to crown the victor, her garments blown against her body to suggest motion and divine presence. Originally, it stood atop a tall triangular pillar outside the Temple of Zeus in ancient Olympia, where it was visible to all who entered the sanctuary. In the background, the medal also features the Panathenaic Stadium, the site of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. Known as the “Kallimarmaro” (“Beautiful Marble”), the stadium was originally built in ancient times and restored in the 19th century, symbolizing the revival of the Olympic movement. Alongside it appears the Parthenon, an enduring symbol of classical Greek civilization and artistic achievement. The reverse side described below refers exclusively to the medal of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, and was designed specifically for that edition. It featured a unique combination of three symbolic elements:

The flame. Timeless symbol of the Olympic Games, represents the Olympic values of noble rivalry, fair play, and truce between peoples.

The tripod. The metal base that accommodates the flame, served as a hearth of fire, and where the olive wreaths were placed. Many similar emblems have been found in ancient Olympia. It was chosen as a symbol because it directly links the Olympic flame with the Olympic Games.

Poem of Pindar. The eighth ode of Pindar praises the victory of Alcimedon from Aegina in wrestling, in the Olympic Games of 460 BC. The goal was to capture the letters of the Greek alphabet, symbols known and recognizable, of high historical value, as they have expressed international and timeless cultural concepts, such as Democracy, Philosophy, etc. Greek words that retain their roots in many other languages, connecting the Greek language with the birth of civilization.

Elena Votsi herself, both as an artist and as Greek, thinks of the redesign of the Olympic medals to be the most important moment of her career, while she considers it an honor for the front of the medals to bear her signature for all the upcoming Olympic Games, allowing for her artistic creation to become a part of history.