To mark one year to go to the Olympic Games, the London 2012 Organising Committee has unveiled the medals that Australia’s athletes will be competing for in 2012.

The medals were unveiled to the world by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal (Princess Anne), and London 2012 Organising Committee Chair Seb Coe.

IOC President Jacques Rogge was one of the first to see the medals at a ceremony in London’s Trafalgar Square overnight (AEST).

“Highlighting the effort and achievement of the athletes, as well as the city where the Games are held, these beautiful medals will be a fitting reward for the Olympic medallists of 2012,” President Rogge said.

LOCOG Chair Seb Coe emphasised the significance of revealing the medal design with one year to go until the Olympic Games.

“I hope that seeing the design of the London 2012 Olympic medals will be a source of inspiration for the thousands of athletes around the world who are counting down the year before they compete at the greatest show on earth,” Coe said.

Right on cue Australia’s swim team are finding form at the world championships in Shanghai, along with our water polo, diving and synchronised swimming Olympic hopefuls. The mighty BMX team are heading to their world championships in Copenhagen while canoe athletes and triathlon stars are heading to London to test the Olympic courses.

The Games are truly on the horizon- and athletes can really see the light with these shiny medals now almost within reach.

In 2012 more than 2,100 Olympic medals will be presented in 302 Olympic victory ceremonies in more than 30 venues over 16 days of competition.

The Olympic medals will be designed by established British artist David Watkins. Watkins’ design triumphed over a field of other entries. The selection panel felt the design held a narrative that befitted the athletes’ achievements with its jewel like depiction of the logo clearly defining the arrival of sport and the Games in London.

“It is exciting to think that the finest athletes in the world will be wearing my medal design next summer,” artist David Watkins said.

“Its key symbols juxtapose, front and back, the goddess Nike for the spirit and tradition of the Games, and the River Thames for the city of London. I hope the medal will be enjoyed and treasured as a record of great personal achievements in 2012.”

The Olympic medals' circular form is a metaphor for the world. The front of the medal always depicts the same imagery at the summer Games – Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory, stepping out of the Parthenon to arrive in the Host City.

The design for the reverse of the London 2012 Olympic medals contains five main symbolic elements:

• The dished background suggests a bowl similar to the design of an amphitheatre.
• The core emblem is an architectural expression, a metaphor for the modern City, or as a geological metaphor as a tough crystalline growth which is deliberately jewel like.
• The grid brings both a pulling together and sense of outreach on the design – an image of radiating energy that represents the athletes’ achievements and effort.
• The River Thames is a symbol for London and also suggests a fluttering baroque ribbon and adds a sense of celebration.
• The square is the final balancing motif of the design, opposing the overall circularity of the design and emphasising its focus on the centre and reinforcing the sense of ‘place’ as in a map inset.

The sport and discipline of the medal-winning athletes will be engraved on the rim of every medal.

The medals will go into production later this year at Royal Mint’s headquarters in Llantrisant, South Wales.

LOCOG with AOC