Share and Follow
The pose has captured numerous iconic moments throughout history, but what compels athletes to do it?
SAN FRANCISCO — Every Olympic season, a familiar image surfaces: athletes proudly biting their newly earned medals. Is it an attempt to savor the sweetness of victory?
From legendary figures like Simone Biles and Michael Phelps to the lightning-fast Usain Bolt, countless Olympians have been immortalized in photos as they sink their teeth into their Olympic medals.
The official Olympics website explains that photographers often prompt these medal-biting moments. Such images are not only eye-catching but frequently end up on the front page, capturing worldwide attention.
Why do Olympic athletes bite their medals?
David Wallechinsky, president of the International Society of Olympic Historians, shared with CNN in 2012, “I think they look at it as an iconic shot, as something that you can probably sell. I don’t think it’s something the athletes would probably do on their own.”
“I think they look at it as an iconic shot, as something that you can probably sell. I don’t think it’s something the athletes would probably do on their own,” David Wallechinsky, president of the International Society of Olympic Historians told CNN in 2012.
It’s not always the photographer’s idea, though. The image is so iconic, athletes at other levels like Portuguese soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo, NBA star LeBron James and many others have been photographed or photograph themselves with their metal in between their teeth. Former tennis player Rafael Nadal also bit into his trophies after winning them, starting the tradition in 2005.
The pose has led to many iconic moments over the years. From German luger David Moeller chipping his tooth to Chinese gymnast Zhou Yaqin seeing her fellow Olympians making the gesture and following through with a confused expression.
She later explained why she was so confused.
“Since we have to take pictures together, (I thought) it is probably best for our movements to be the same,” she said in an interview. “I didn’t actually bite it. This medal is so hard, who on earth would actually bite it?”
There’s also a historical answer to the question. During the gold rush and throughout history, people would bite into gold pieces or coins to authenticate it. Because gold is such a soft metal, teeth can dent it with minimal pressure.
Lucky for the athletes, they won’t find bite marks in their medals. The International Olympic Committee stopped awarding pure gold medals in the early 1900s.
Click here for more Olympics coverage!