Why do olympic medalists receive flowers

More than 18, people died in Iwate, Fukushima, and Miyagi in the March tragedy and recovery efforts continue today. Victory bouquets feature sunflowers from Miyagi, gentians from Iwate and eustomas from Fukushima, as well as a keepsake plush Miraitowa, the mascot of Tokyo Olympics. In the northeastern prefecture of Miyagi, parents who lost children in the disaster planted sunflowers on the hill where their children sought refuge from the tsunami.

Every year, the hill is covered in vibrant sunflowers. In Fukushima, Shimizu began planting flowers in after the vegetable crop showed levels of radiation that were unsafe for consumption. According to a TimeOut report, Iwate prefecture grows the blue flowers that match the Tokyo Olympics logo. The report said that the victory bouquets being handed out have been produced by the Nippon Flower Council for the Games.

The Olympic bouquets also have a plush Miraitowa the Olympic mascot in gold, silver or bronze. In the case of the Paralympic Games, it is the plush version of Someity. The small blue flowers in the victory bouquets, called gentians, were grown in the coastal area of Iwate which was struck by the disaster of B efore the March 24 announcement that Olympics will be postponed until an unspecified date due to coronavirus, plans were well under way for the Summer Olympics : venues were getting built, spectators-to-be were booking flights, athletes were competing for spots — and flowers were being grown.

Yes, even the small details like the floral bouquets that athletes get when they take the medal podiums after winning their events had to be carefully coordinated. The awarding of flowers is a longtime Olympic tradition, with roots in ancient Greece. This fall, the Tokyo organizers shared the first information about and photos of the 5, bouquets that medallists will be presented in Tokyo.

At the Winter Olympics in Pyongyang, official flower bouquets for medals were eschewed in favor of stuffed animals presented at the podium. The plush stuffed animals represented Soohorang, the white tiger that served as the mascot for those Games.

Winning an Olympic medal is a great moment for any athlete, but did you know that the bouquet of flowers that each winner receives in his or her hands during the medal ceremony also has a special meaning? Related Articles.

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