The Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) today revealed the native Australian flowers which will be hand picked, made into bouquets, and presented to all medal winners at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
SOCOG also launched an Olympic first – whereby all Sydney 2000 Games medallists will be given an exclusive poster of the Medallists’ Bouquet, painted by internationally-acclaimed Australian artist Ken Done.
‘The Medallists’ Bouquet has long been a tradition of the Olympic Games’ medal presentation ceremonies and has provided a chance for the host country to showcase its beautiful native flora,’ said SOCOG Director of Ceremonies, Ric Birch at today’s launch on the first day of Spring at the Ken Done Gallery in The Rocks, Sydney.
‘But we also wanted a permanent keepsake for the medallists, something they could take home as a very special memory of the moment they received their medal.
‘So, when Ken Done accepted our invitation and volunteered his creative talents, we decided each medal winner at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games should also receive an exclusive print of Ken Done’s painting of the Medallists’ Bouquet,’ Mr Birch said.
The flowers of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Medallists’ Bouquet revealed today are:
the Waratah , the State flower of New South Wales, is the centrepiece of the bouquet;
the Waratah is surrounded by sprigs of various species of Kangaroo Paw (one of which, ‘Bush Games’, was specially named for the Sydney Games).
red and yellow Grevillea ;
Waxflower
Flannel Flower
Billy Buttons ;
Eucalyptus leaves; and,
a frill of Baileyana leaves, green on the upside with a striking gold underside.
All flowers for the Medallists’ Bouquet are being supplied by The Australian Flower Company (TAFC) from growers across Australia.
‘This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to showcase Australia’s magnificent native flora to the world. The Olympic Games will benefit the entire Australian cut flower industry and we believe the world will love our flowers as much as we do,’ said TAFC Managing Director, Jamie Creer.
The flowers were chosen after extensive research by both SOCOG and TAFC – including the possibility of offending certain cultures by the use of specific colours and research into which flowers tended to cause allergic or hay fever reactions, e.g. the Australian wattle is known to cause allergies in many people, hence this flower was unable to be included in the bouquet. As flowers are also seasonal, only those which were in season during the period of the Games were able to be selected.
Each Medallists’ Bouquet is 45cm high and 25 cm wide and is completed by a gold ribbon, complimenting the earthy, yet rich colours of the flowers and foliage.
Eight florists and up to six assistants will work throughout the 16 days of the Games to produce around 2,500 bouquets. Around 70,000 flowers will be used.
SOCOG has obtained agreement from Australian Customs to allow Games medallists to take their bouquets home with them after the Games, but there is no guarantee that customs officers in overseas countries will allow the flowers to enter those countries. Flowers also wilt and die.
‘This is where internationally-acclaimed Australian artist Ken Done came to the rescue and initiated an Olympic first – the Medallists Bouquet poster, ‘ said Ric Birch..
Revealing the painting for the first time today, Ken Done said the art work had to capture ‘the true essence of those beautiful flowers’.
‘I wanted the athletes to be left with the very feeling they will have when they are being given that bouquet here in Sydney during the Olympic Games,’ Mr Done said.
‘My painting is the athletes’ special memento of their great feat in the sporting arena in one of the world’s most beautiful cities.
‘I worked through a series of artworks but in the end the painting had to be the floral bouquet centre stage with the key elements of Sydney in the background: reflecting the brightness and joy of the flowers while combining this with the other great stars of the Games – Sydney’s sensational harbour and the Opera House.’
All Sydney 2000 medal winners will receive both the bouquet and Ken Done’s Medallists’ Bouquet poster.
‘The flowers for the Medallists’ Bouquets clearly show off our beautiful natural flora and the whole idea of Ken Done’s poster of the Medallists’ Bouquet is a great memento for the athletes who will treasure that memory for the rest of their lives,’ said Michelle Ford-Eriksson, 1980 Olympian 800m swimming gold medallist and currently a National Olympic Committee (NOC) Co-ordinator for SOCOG.
To download an image of the bouquet, click here
Source: SOCOG