Rare silver winner’s medal awarded to Ukrainian track cyclist Olena Starikova for the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. Silver, 86 mm, 550 gm, by Junichi Kawanishi. The front of the medal features text across the top, “Games of the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020,” above the Olympic rings and a winged Nike flying over Panathinaikon Stadium with the Acropolis in the background; the reverse features the emblem of the Tokyo Games set against a ‘polished stone’ background with surrounding curved lines that represent different patterns of light and the energy of the athletes and their supporters. The bottom edge of the medal is engraved with the event: “Cycling, Women's Sprint." Retains its original multicolored ribbon, which bears traditional Japanese design motifs found in ichimatsu moyo (harmonized chequered patterns) and kasane no irome (traditional kimono layering techniques) in a modern format. Complete with its original wooden presentation case with magnetic lid.
Olena Starikova represented Ukraine in track cycling at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, competing in the women's sprint and keirin events held at the Izu Velodrome, August 6–8th, 2021. Demonstrating impressive speed and determination, Starikova advanced to the later rounds in both competitions, earning this silver medal for her second-place finish in the women's sprint finals. One of Europe's most decorated women cyclists, Starikova placed on the podium in ten different European Championship events between 2018 and 2022. Winner's medals from recent Olympics are difficult to obtain and ever-popular among collectors—this is the first silver Tokyo winner's medal that we have offered at auction, and the finest of any type we have encountered.
