The Olympic Games are one of the highlights of the sporting world, with the best athletes coming together to compete for those coveted medals. The media coverage of the medal ceremonies always seems to show the delighted winners taking a bite out of their medal, and many wonder why they do that. Actually, it is one of the most frequently asked questions among the millions of TV viewers around the world, so for those who really want to know, here are the most likely reasons.
Media creativity
Most of the photographers who are lucky enough to be at the Olympics are freelance, and in order to sell their images, they are always looking for a unique angle. The photo shoot doesn’t last long, and the already overwhelmed athletes are often asked to take certain poses by the photographers, and naturally respond. It is unlikely that the practice would have become so popular and iconic if the athletes weren’t constantly asked for the bite shot. Of course, many winners kiss the medal, and it is possible than the bite was seen as a natural progression, as the mouth is already there.
Other sports
Medal biting isn’t confined exclusively to the Olympiads, with superstar tennis player Raphael Nadal always biting down on his trophies, whenever he wins. It is likely that the other athletes have got the idea from Olympic medal celebrations, and the craze has taken off, with more medalists than ever taking the traditional bite in the 2016 Olympics at Rio.
Ancient gold tradition
Gold is a very soft metal and years ago, traders would bite down on a coin to ensure it was in fact gold. In the gold rush, it was a common sight for a gold buyer to bite hard on the nugget to ensure its authenticity. This may have been where the idea originated, although modern Olympic gold medals contain less than 1% of gold, with silver and bronze making up the majority.
Join in the craze
No matter where you live, you can create the perfect medal or trophy, and the winner of the competition, whatever it may be, can also bite down as the cameras flash away.
The future
It has been suggested by the media that the next Olympics, which will be held in Tokyo, will see a surge of medal biting winners, and this will only encourage other sports people to copy this action, which has come to be a recognized sign of success. As long as the images are fetching high prices, the photographers will continue to ask for this timeless pose, and with the winners in such a state of excitement, they will comply.
Medal biting has been a part of the Olympic tradition for decades now, and the spectators are constantly being treated to emotional scenes, as the jubilant gold medal winners suddenly realize what a future they have.
