Australia Sydney
XVII Summer International Olympic Games

The Games of the XXVII Olympiad were opened on September 15, 2000 at the Australia Stadium, Sydney, attended by 110,000 spectators. The executive producer and director of the show was Australian Ric Birch. 12,600 performers were involved in the ceremony, the gross weight of the lighting and audio equipment was more than 99 tons. The show was devoted to the history of Australia, and included elements of aquacade symbolizing the affinity of the Australian people with the sea.
189 delegations of 199 nations marched in the parade of nations. The parade featured a unified entrance by the delegations of North and South Korea, using a specially designed flag: a white background flag with a blue map of the Korean Peninsula. The only missing IOC member was Afghanistan since its participation was banned by the ruling Taliban.
After inaugural addresses delivered by Organizing Committee President Michael Knight and IOC President J.A. Samaranch, the Governor-General, Sir William Deane, opened the Games.
The Olympics Flag was raised to the strains of the Olympic Hymn. The opening ceremony was concluded by lighting the Olympic Flame. The Olympic Flame was lit by Australian sprinter Cathy Freeman.
650 sets of medals had been minted for the prize winners. After the Games were over, the unused medals had been smelted according to the IOC regulations. 

WINNER MEDALS
The design of the medal remained traditional in general but was enriched with new features reflecting the beauty of the green continent and its natural wealth.
OBVERSE: a composition of a figure of the Greek Goddess of Victory, holding a laurel wreath for the triumphant in her right hand, chariot, Panathenaean amphora, Coliseum instead of the Greek amphitheatre, and additional branches of the Australian blackwood. A horizontal inscription in English reading “XXIV – Olympiad – Sydney – 2000” is engraved in the right upper segment.
REVERSE: a view of the Sydney Opera House, the most famous building of the host city, futuristic Olympic Torch and five Olympic rings. For the first time in the history of Summer Olympics, winning athletes were able to have their names engraved on the reverse side.

COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL
OBVERSE: the official logo of the Sydney Summer Olympics in the center with stylized sea waves in the background, and English inscription “SYDNEY 2000” over the Olympic rings.
REVERSE: a legend in English in the center over the Olympic rings reads “THE GAMES OF THE XXVII OLYMPIAD”.

Metal	white alloy
Diameter	50 mm
Thickness	4 mm
Weight	-
Designer	Mike Bruce
Mint	-