Last year Russia was literally rocked by a meteorite that came crashing to Earth in the Chelyabinsk outblast of Russia. Today, Saturday, February 15th the gold medals handed out during the Olympics will have a small piece of the meteorite embedded in their medals. The meteorite was so powerful it:
- Glowed 30 times brighter than the sun
- It traveled up to 40,000 miles per hour
- It was 30 times more powerful than Hiroshima
- Was felt up to 55 miles away
The damages included:
- Injured 1,500 people (sun burn, eye damage, and more serious injuries)
- Damaged totals of around 33 million in US dollars
- Shatter windows
- Collapsed buildings
Even Sochi's Olympic structures sustained damage. Today, February 15th, is the one year anniversary and in memory of that day ten special gold medal will be awarded. "We will hand out our medals to all the athletes who will win gold on that day [Feb. 15], because both the meteorite strike and the Olympic Games are global events," Alexei Betekhtin, culture minister for the Chelyabinsk region, in a statement.Medals To Be Awarded Today Include:men’s 1,500 meter speed skatingwomen’s 1,000 meters and men’s 1,500 short trackwomen’s cross-country skiing relaymen’s K-125 ski jumpwomen’s super-giant slalommen’s skeleton eventsThe Sochi Olympic medals are also significant because of their unique cut-out design. Once, only die struck circular precious metal plates, minted in the host country, Sochi's medals incorporate high tech laser precise cut outs and inlays that reflect Russia's rich cultural and artistic background. The symbolism of the cut out is also significant in that the peaks which represent the rugged mountain back drop of Sochi's mountains.For More Information interesting Olympic Medal Trivia Check Out This Blog.
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