Tokyo 2020 Olympic medals

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games medals are made from recycled small electronic devices such as used mobile phones, collected across Japan over two years


RIBBON
Traditional Japanese design motifs. Made from CO2-friendly chemically- recycled polyester fibres

FRONT
Winning design by Junichi Kawanishi (above), chosen from over 400 entries in nationwide competition

Medal specifications 
Diameter: 85mm
Thickness: 7.7-12.1mm 
Weight – Gold: 556g
– Silver: 550g
– Bronze: 450g

Medal symbolises friendship, energy of athletes and diversity of Games

BACK
IOC rules stipulate medals must depict official name of Games, Olympic rings symbol and Nike, Greek goddess of victory, in front of ancient Greek Panathinaikos Stadium that hosted first modern Olympics in 1896

100% RECYCLED METAL
Apr 2017-Mar 2019: Authorities collect 72,000 tonnes of small electronic waste from households across Japan, while NTT Docomo* collects 6 million unwanted mobile phones

Devices dismantled and rare metals extracted and refined, such as these gold beads,
called shot (left). Campaign yields 32kg of gold, 3,500kg of silver and 2,200kg of bronze (95% copper, 5% zinc)


*Predominant mobile phone operator


Sources: TOCOPG 
Pictures: AP, Tanaka 
© GRAPHIC NEWS