SYDNEY — Sydney Olympics organisers (SOCOG) on Saturday unveiled the medals for the Games which start on 15 September.

Winning artist Wojciech Pietranik, who came to Australia from Poland 15 years ago, designed the medals which feature the Sydney Opera House and the Olympic torch on the reverse side with the Olympic rings overlaid in the centre of the design.

The front design incorporates Nike, the Goddess of Victory, holding a laurel wreath over her head, while cradling a bundle of palm fronds in her arms, seated beside a Grecian urn. Below Nike are sprigs of wattle, the Australian national flower.

The background includes images of the ancient Colosseum of Athens, and a horse-drawn victory chariot.

‘I think the athletes will be very excited when they see the medals,’ Australian gold medallist Sandra Norman said at the launch at the Sydney Opera House on Saturday.

The Opera House will be the site for the triathlon and sailing Olympic medal presentations.

‘The design underlines the Olympics in Sydney and through Sydney, Australia, to people all over the world,’ Pietranik said.

‘I think I will cry when the first medal is awarded.

‘The athletes will remember when they win that medal, remember and love our country.’

Although 1000 gold, 1000 silver and 1100 bronze medals will be produced, SOCOG anticipated that only about two-thirds of these would be awarded during the Games. The others would have to be destroyed, SOCOG said.

Each medal will bear the name of the sport and event for which it was created. For the first time, athletes will be able to use an engraving service at the Olympic village to put their names on the medals, officials said.

The medals will have cyan ribbons and come in specially designed cases.

Each gold medal has a minimum of six grams of pure gold. The silver medals are pure silver and the bronze medals are made from old Australian one-cent and two-cent coins which are no longer in circulation. The bronze medals also have some silver in them.

The medals are 68 millimetres (2.7 inches) in diameter with a thickness ranging between 3 mm at the rim to 5 mm at the highest point of relief. Gold and silver medals weigh 210 grams (7.4 ounces), while bronze medals weigh 170 grams (6 ounces) each.

The gold was donated by three communities in rural New South Wales where gold was first discovered and sold in 1851.

Director of ceremonies Ric Birch said the medals took two years to make.

The medals were made by the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra and the Perth Mint in Western Australia.

Source: SOCOG