This archive report was first published on 25 July 2019.
On July 24, 2019, exactly one year before the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, graphic designer Junichi Kawanishi's design for the medals was unveiled in an extravagant ceremony in Tokyo, Japan.
Unbeknownst to Kawanishi, his design, which features the Greek goddess of victory Nike and the Olympic symbol, would bring him sudden fame. The medals are made from recycled metals collected from 6.21 million electronic devices donated across Japan.
According to Kawanishi, the circular design on the front of the medals represents the globe and reflects light. He expressed his intention behind the design, saying, "By receiving light from various angles … I thought about the cheers from the public and those thoughts are reflected."
When asked about his reaction to being selected from over 200 applications, Kawanishi recalled, "As many people applied, I thought there is no way I would be selected."
Despite his initial skepticism, Kawanishi was thrilled to be a part of the Olympics, saying, "Experiencing the Olympic Games is a once in a lifetime experience. I was not born when they had the previous Games in 1964 so I was feeling happy already to experience home Olympics."
With his design now unveiled to the world, Kawanishi is basking in the sudden fame that has come his way.
