GREECE: THIS YEARS'S MEDAL FOR THE WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS IN ATHENS SYMBOLIZES THE EFFORTS AND REWARDS OF THE ATHLETE

Record ID: 646158

  • Title: GREECE: THIS YEARS'S MEDAL FOR THE WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS IN ATHENS SYMBOLIZES THE EFFORTS AND REWARDS OF THE ATHLETE
  • Date: 30th July 1997
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (JULY 31, 1997) 1. PANAYIOTIS GRAVALOS IN HIS STUDIO 2. GRAVALOS SPEAKING. "I HAD TO SEE WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST AND IN OTHER COUNTRIES SO IT WAS ORIGINAL AND NOT THE SAME, BUT ALSO HAD SOMETHING FROM GREEK TRADITION." (GREEK) 3. GRAVALOS SHOWING THE DESIGN ON PAPER 4. GRAVALOS SAYING, "I DECIDED ON THE IDEA TO SHOW THE EFFORTS AND THE REWARDS OF AN ATHLETE. I MADE DIFFERENT DESIGNS TO ILLUSTRATE THIS IDEA. (GREEK) 5. GRAVALOS SHOWING VARIOUS DESIGNS HE HAD COME UP WITH FOR MEDAL 6. THE FINAL DESIGN ON PAPER 7. TIN SAMPLES OF THREE MEDALS IN A ROW 8. THE GOLD MEDAL SAMPLE Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 14th August 1997 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ATHENS, GREECE
  • City:
  • Country: Greece
  • Reuters ID: LVA7YOKSIMX2ZR0M50QKM7J65MMF
  • Story Text: This year's medal for the world athletics championships in Athens symbolizes the efforts and rewards of the athlete, a top greek artist who designed the medal said.

    Renowned Greek artist Panayiotis Gravalos, who has designed the medals, said he was looking for something original that embodied the traditional ancient greek motif.

    He made a number of sketches but the design with the sprinters, which he feels is one of his best, was chosen.

    The medal shows two ancient Greek runners with a laurel wreath in the background. The design symbolizes the struggle of the athlete and the moral reward according to ancient greek tradition.

    Laurel wreaths were given to athletes winning races in ancient times.

    Gravalos, who has been designing medals since 1965 for European and Greek championships, researched other sports medals designs around the world and opted to integrate ancient greek art with a more modern line.


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