Why are there more bronze medals awarded than gold and silver at the 2024 Olympics?

Everyone knows the Olympic podium consists of gold, silver and bronze medalists, but did you know that there are more than one bronze medalist for some events?

Let’s take a closer look as to why that is:

What Olympic sports have two bronze medalists?

Olympic combat and martial arts events hand out two bronze medals for each event.

At the 2024 Olympics, the sports that give two bronze medals are boxing, wrestling, judo and taekwondo.

Why are two bronze medals given for some Olympic sports?

The reason for giving two bronze medals differs in boxing from judo, taekwondo and wrestling.

When Olympic boxing first began in 1904, the sport held a traditional bronze medal match featuring the losers of the semifinals, the way that many Olympic events decide their bronze medalist. However, the International Boxing Association (AIBA) decided to do away with the bronze medal match in 1950 due to concerns for boxer’s health.

Initially, the losers of the semifinals would simply be placed third in the Olympics and go home without a medal. But that all changed in 1968, when the AIBA decided to change the rules to give out two bronze medals to both losers of the semifinals matches.

In 2024, American Omari Jones earned a bronze medal after losing his semifinal match.

In the case of judo, taekwondo and wrestling, two bronze medals are awarded by using the repechage system.

Yared Nuguse talks about winning a bronze medal alongside fellow U.S. runner Cole Hocker, who won gold in the men’s 1500m.

What is the Olympic repechage system?

The word repechage is based on a French word that literally means “second chance,” and that is exactly what is given to competitors who lost to the two finalists in the judo, taekwondo and wrestling events.

In the repechage matches for taekwondo and wrestling, the losers to the finalists in the round of 16 and quarterfinals face off, and the victor takes on the loser of the semifinals for one of the two bronze medals.

In the repechage matches for judo, the losing quarterfinalists face-off, and the winning team then faces the losing semifinalists for bronze.

Can Olympic athletes tie for bronze?

Yes, and athletes can tie for gold and silver as well.

However, when there is a tie for silver in an event with the standard medal format, a bronze medal is not awarded. If there is a tie for gold in an event, a silver medal is not awarded.

Team USA forward Kevin Durant surpassed the legendary Lisa Leslie to become USA Basketball’s all-time leading scorer in Olympic competition.

Have athletes tied for bronze at the 2024 Olympics?

Yes, there have been ties for bronze in the men’s horizontal bar gymnastics event and the women’s high jump track and field event.

American swimmer Nic Fink also tied for silver in the men’s 100m breaststroke final.