By Lifestyle Reporter
About 6.21 million used cell phones went into the Tokyo 2020 Medal Project. According to official reports by the Olympics, that’s about 78,985 tonnes.
These used electronics were collected between 2017 and 2019 with the intention of turning them into the Tokyo 2020 Olympic’s medals. The collection drives took place across Japan
In the end, Tokyo 2020 Medal Project collected 32kg in gold, 3,500kg silver and 2,200kg bronze. It was then up to the designer, Junichi Kawanishi, to turn the metals into something beautiful. Kawanishii beat out over 400 other designers who had entered the Tokyo 2020 medal competition.
According to the official Olympics website, his designs resemble the rough stone that has been polished and perfected by grint. “The design of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic medals reflects the concept that, to achieve glory, athletes have to strive for victory on a daily basis. The medals resemble rough stones that have been polished and now shine, with “light” and “brilliance” their overall themes.”
With sustainability and climate change being a hot topic, this initiative will likely set the stage for future Olympic games. Watch the full transformation from scrap electronic to Olympic medal below.
Olympic medal fun facts
Did you know that the top three requirements of Olympic medal design are as follows?
- The Olympic five rings symbol
- The official name of the Games (For Tokyo 2020 it’s “Games of the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020”)
- Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, in front of the Panathinaikos Stadium


