London 2012 medals are largest yet

Published Jul. 27, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Bigger, wider, heavier — that could be the motto for the medals at the 2012 London Olympics.

Measuring 3.35 inches in diameter and weighing 13 to 14 ounces, London's medals will be the largest awarded at a summer Games.

The medals were presented by Princess Anne at a ceremony at London's Trafalgar Square Wednesday to mark a year to go until the 2012 Olympics open.

The medals feature Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, on one side. On the other is an image containing five symbolic elements, including an interpretation of the London 2012 logo and the River Thames.

They dwarf the 2.76 inch medals handed out in Beijing four years ago, but don't quite outsize the prizes given at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games. Those medals were 3.94 inches wide.

The medals were designed by British artist David Watkins, whose idea was picked from an initial list of more than 100.

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

A total of 2,100 medals will be handed out at the London Games in 302 ceremonies. The ore for the medals will be mined at two sites, one near Salt Lake City and the other in Mongolia.

''It is the pinnacle of a sporting career to become an Olympic champion, but I am confident that receiving one of these medals will make it all the more special in London next year,'' IOC President Jacques Rogge said.