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The following is issued on behalf of the 2009 East Asian Games (Hong Kong) Limited:
They are all one size – 92 millimetres (mm) wide, 90mm tall and 10mm deep. Shaped in a circular pattern with intertwining leaves from plants of the nine regional nations, they come in three metallic colours – gold, silver and bronze.
The familiar bauhinia blakeana represents Hong Kong, while the leaves of the other nations taking part in the Fifth East Asian Games are China's peony, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's magnolia, the renowned cherry blossom of Japan, Chinese Taipei's plum blossom, the hibiscus of Korea, Macau's lotus, Guam's bouganvilla and Mongolia's pygmy waterlily.
Even the ribbon used for each medal is specially designed – 1,200 millimetres in length, it is in contrasting colours of red and black. Red is the dominating outer colour with the wording "Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games" while the black inner surface is a burst of the five-coloured fireworks emblem of the Games.
And with competition already under way in 23 venues throughout Hong Kong, each and every one of the 2,300 athletes taking part have only one wish – doing their best and going home with a medal.
With the festive season fast approaching, the 262 gold medals will be very much in demand, and for those flanking the victory rostrum after each of the 22 events, satisfaction will be the silver or a bronze. At least they will have one less item on their list when they do their last-minute Christmas shopping in Hong Kong's retail paradise.
Ends/Friday, December 4, 2009
Issued at HKT 12:14
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