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Medals are not the only awards given to competitors every athlete placed first to eighth receives an Olympic diploma. Some combat sports (such as boxing, judo, taekwondo and wrestling) award two bronze medals per competition, resulting in, overall, more bronze medals being awarded than the other colours. If there is a tie for any of the top three places all competitors are entitled to receive the appropriate medal according to IOC rules. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has retroactively assigned gold, silver and bronze medals to the three best-placed athletes in each event of the 18 Games. The custom of the sequence of gold, silver, and bronze for the first three places in all events dates from the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. With most of the listed prizes being cups and other trophies. In many sports, however, medals were not awarded. With 3rd place bronze medals being awarded in gymnastics, firefighting and shooting. Whilst 2nd place silver medals were awarded in shooting, rowing, yachting, tennis, gymnastics, sabre, fencing, equestrian and athletics. Gilt silver medals were awarded for 1st place in shooting, lifesaving, automobile racing and gymnastics. The 1900 Summer Olympics is unique in being the only Olympic Games to feature rectangular medals, which were designed by Frédérique Vernon. Ī silver medal from the 1900 Summer Olympics, designed by Frédérique Vernon The winners were instead given a silver medal and an olive branch, while runners-up received a laurel branch and a copper or bronze medal. However, gold medals were not awarded at the inaugural Olympics in 1896 in Athens, Greece. When the modern Olympic Games began in 1896 medals started to be given to successful olympian competitors.
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According to Pausanias, it was introduced by Heracles as a prize for the winner of the running race to honour Zeus. It was an olive branch, off the wild-olive tree that grew at Olympia, intertwined to form a circle or a horse-shoe. The olive wreath was the prize for the winner at the Ancient Olympic Games.
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In addition to generally supporting their Olympic athletes, some countries provide sums of money and gifts to medal winners, depending on the classes and number of medals won. The medals of the Winter Olympic Games never had a common design, but regularly feature snowflakes and the event where the medal has been won. The design selected for the 1928 Games remained for many years, until its replacement at the 2004 Games in Athens as the result of controversy surrounding the use of the Roman Colosseum rather than a building representing Greek roots. Medal designs have varied considerably since the Games in 1896, particularly in the size of the medals for the Summer Olympic Games. The granting of awards is laid out in detail in the Olympic protocols. There are three classes of medal to be won: gold, silver, and bronze, awarded to first, second, and third place, respectively. An Olympic medal is awarded to successful competitors at one of the Olympic Games.