Organisers, on May 21, 2017, unveiled the official medals for the IAAF World Championships London 2017.
Lying within the shape of an athletics track, both sets of medals made public today, those for the IAAF World Championships and for the World Para Athletics Championships, are layered with symbols of every event for each schedule, an intricate design that bears resemblance to the inner workings of a watch.
With London the historical home of Greenwich Mean Time, the medals for the IAAF World Championships also feature iconic London landmarks that sit on the River Thames – Tower Bridge, the London Eye, the Shard and Big Ben – to give a strong sense of location.
The medals were designed by Birmingham-based Toye, Kenning & Spencer who asked themselves “What makes an athlete tick?” when creating the medals. Founded in 1685, Toye, Kenning & Spencer have a proud history, holding a royal warrant and being commissioned to manufacture the medal presented to serving personnel in celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
European and Commonwealth silver medallist Jazmin Sawyers, coach of Olympic champion Jessica Ennis-Hill, Toni Minichiello, and five-time Paralympic medallist Dan Greaves were all part of the creative panel that fed into the medal design process.
“I loved being part of the panel,” Sawyers said. “It was something that I have never done before and such a unique experience to see what goes into making the medals for a World Championships. It is great that organisers wanted input from athletes and coaches.
The IAAF World Championships will be held at the London Stadium from August 4-13.
