Almost 850 medals, ceremonies with an emphasis on Slovak production and the region are prepared for EYOF 2022

Until the beginning of the European Youth Olympic Festival 2022 in Banská Bystrica, the last 39 days remain and the largest multi-sporting event organised in Slovakia is irresistibly approaching. Up to 120 medal ceremonies await Banská Bystrica during 6 competition days. The organisers of EYOF Banská Bystrica 2022 bet on the support and presentation of local manufacturers and suppliers.

„Through medals and ceremonies, we want to support and highlight Slovak culture and promote the region in which the event takes place. We would like to introduce Slovakia and the Banská Bystrica region itself to the world. All products and cultural entities are our domestics of Slovak. I am very pleased that we built the concept on the presentation of Slovakia itself, because during this sports event, Banská Bystrica will host around 6,000 participants and guests,“ presents Peter Hamaj, director of the organising committee of EYOF Banská Bystrica 2022.

„I am glad that the preparations of the organising committee for the European Youth Olympic Festival continue at a high pace. Less than 40 days separate us from the biggest sports event in the history of Slovakia itself. I am very much looking forward to the individual ceremonies or symbols of EYOF, through which we can show the beauty, strength and potential not only of our region, but also of Banská Bystrica itself. I am convinced that we have something to present to the Europe and the whole world. Here, too, I cordially invite everyone to come and support young athletes in the last week of July. You can get unforgettable experiences, experience a unique atmosphere and meet many interesting people,“ says mayor of the city Ján Nosko.

Medals in the shape of a heart

The organizers entrusted the production of medals to a traditional Slovak manufacturer, the Kremnica Mint. A total of 842 medals were produced for EYOF Banská Bystrica 2022. All are made of brass (material Ms 90, ie 90% copper, 10% zinc), they have a diameter of 80 mm. „The logo of the EYOF Banská Bystrica 2022 is depicted on the front and the logo of the European Olympic Committees on the back. Gilded for the winners, the 2nd place athletes will receive medals with a nickel-plated finish and the medals for the 3rd place are patinated bronze,” informed Jaroslav Setnický, head of sales at the Kremnica Mint.

The medals are in the shape of a heart, which is symbolic in connection with the festival site. “When designing the medal for EYOF 2022, I set a goal to find an appropriate symbol that could be transferred to the shape of the medal itself. The heart became that symbol, it was an ideal metaphor for this event. The town of Banská Bystrica is often referred to as the heart of Slovakia. It is the metropolis of central Slovakia and the area below the Low Tatras. At the same time, it is the heart of important events in Slovak modern history, such as the Slovak National Uprising. However, the heart is also a symbol of love, courage, bravery or combativeness, which characterises the young athletes participating in EYOF. The stylisation of the heart follows the dominant shape of the EYOF logo – a four-piece ribbon, which is shaped into a heart,” stated the author of the medal design Karol Krištofovič and continued: “ The predesign was made about two years ago, but the current war circumstances have caused me to perceive the symbol of love in the medal as a desire for friendship between rival countries and as a rejection of violence.”

In addition to medals, the best athletes from EYOF 2022 will also take home the official mascot Bystrík in a special design with gold, silver and bronze elements.

There is a story behind every medal

he three-time Olympic biathlon champion Anastasia Kuzminova, who is the ambassador of the event under Urpín, has often experienced awards on the podium and knows well the feelings when a medal from a major event is hung around the athlete’s neck.. “The feeling itself when you win the first race is always different from other victories. For each medal won, there is a different story and a different effort, in addition, there is also a different course of the medal ceremony, when they hang the coveted medal around the athlete’s neck. However, it is always something unbelievable, a person experiences a feeling that he cannot believe for a long time and he seems to be dreaming. With this lingering feeling of happiness, he wants to share it with everyone, thus multiplying it indefinitely. My first Olympic medal from the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver is and will always be the greatest experience. However, to be honest, when I competed in the young and junior categories and won my very first medals in international competitions, I experienced a different joy and a completely different kind of emotions that cannot be forgotten,” noted Kuzminova.

 Up to 120 ceremonies

In terms of the number of ceremonies, the most of the ten sports will be in athletics – up to a third of the total. Athletes will share 40 medal collections.

“When creating the concept of the medal ceremony for EYOF Banská Bystrica 2022, we tried to have a story with an emphasis on Slovak production behind each element. I believe that the ceremony will be exceptional for all young medalists and that they will keep Banská Bystrica and Slovakia in their hearts for a long time to come,” said Mira Mažgutová, Director of Ceremonies, VIP Support and Protocol at EYOF.

During the ceremonies, the medals will be presented by members of the University Folklore Ensemble (UFS) Mladosť, which acts as a representative body of Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica. In 2017, UFS celebrated its 55th anniversary. “In addition to folklorists, almost 50 Slovak and foreign volunteers will be involved in medal ceremonies. I am already very happy when we all meet in Banská Bystrica in less than 6 weeks,” Mažgutová added.

Winners´ podiums made of recycled material

The winners´ podiums at which the medalists will be decorated are made of 100% recycled material provided by EYOF partner Banská Bystrica 2022 – Chemosvit in accordance with the concept of event sustainability. “They are designed to be variable and can be used in different sizes according to the needs of each sport. Their design is in a minimalist design, which will be complemented by varied graphics of the event from graphic designer Peter Buček. The podiums at EYOF will be used  in sizes from 3 to 12 m,” said Lukáš Donoval, Director of EYOF’s Marketing Department.

Fanfare and background music for medal ceremonies

Another element that emphasizes the uniqueness of the solemn moment of the medal ceremony is the background music. The Ján Levoslav Bella Conservatory in Banská Bystrica was approached for her composition especially for EYOF, with the aim of involving young students in the process of creating music for young athletes.

“Music may not only be associated with other arts, but may also be associated with sports. I have not had personal experience with this, but an athlete or artist at a certain time in his life likes to compete and confront others. I realized that when you go for an award for your hard work, there is a lot of adrenaline in it. When I composed the music for the ceremony, I wanted it to be full of positive energy, to give it a good mood and to encourage athletes to feel happy about winning.” said author of the music Katarína Koreňová, a teacher at the Ján Levoslav Bella Conservatory.

The ceremonial music was recorded in collaboration with the Banská Bystrica State Opera Orchestra. “The students were surprised and excited to be able to collaborate with professional musicians and gain valuable experience. The orchestra did the best job it could. We recorded the music without any problems and I think the result will be worth it,” added Katarína Koreňová, who revealed that two of the conservatory students who were given the chance to participate in the musical performance of the accompanying music to the ceremonies were two saxophonists, two violinists and three played drums.

 Trays made of royal wood

An interesting element are also the trays on which the medals will be presented. These come from the workshop of the Slovak artistic carver Igor Prilinský. “The tray is created using the traditional technique of transverse gouging. I made grooves on the wood with a sharp carving chisel across the wood. It is linden, stained and tinted. The surface treatment is waxing, it´s made with linseed oil and beeswax. The tray breathes with history, it is made of Slovak wood, I would say that it is literally royal, because the linden is a symbol of the kings who planted it in their parks. No machine is used in the production, only traces of the carving chisel can be seen. The fact that the tray is stained and tinted makes the wood structure stand out so beautifully,” Igor Prilinský, a native of Prievidza, presented his work.

Opening Ceremony and Fan Zone during EYOF Banská Bystrica 2022

The opening ceremony will take place on July 24, 2022 in the park under the SNP Memorial in Banská Bystrica and tickets can be purchased for a symbolic price. It will be broadcast live via RTVS. “ We will welcome 3,500 members of official expeditions from 48 countries, 1,000 guests will be invited, 3,000 visitors not only from Banská Bystrica and volunteers will be part of the opening too. The program will be based on regionalism, so we will bring visitors everything Slovak and domestic. On the following days, from 25 to 30 July, a cultural and sports program for all ages awaits on guests. The main blocks of the program are set at 2 pm, 5 pm and 8 pm. Fans will gradually learn the names of Slovak stars from social networks. Admission to the entire fan zone will be free, including admission to all concerts and attractions,“ specifies information on the opening ceremony Lukáš Donoval.

The development of Banská Bystrica is based on mining. In addition to gold, silver and copper, a number of gems were also mined here, which was reflected in two key things related to the visual aspect of the European Youth Olympic Festival. „A colorful fragment resembling a gemstone, which in various shapes completes the character line on almost all visuals. Diversity is also an association to the fact that the event is multi-sport, but above all multinational,“ explains color and visual concept Peter Buček, graphic designer for EYOF Banská Bystrica 2022. And at the same time he adds: „The mascot, the mythical figure of the mining elf, dwarf called Bystrík, is also closely connected with the mining history of the entire region and its role is to draw even more attention to the communicated topics within the event.“