Everything about Podium totally explained
» For the 2004 film directed by Yann Moix, see Podium (film).
A
podium (plural
podia) is a
platform that's used to raise something to a short distance above its surroundings. In
architecture a building can rest on a large podium. Podia can also be used to raise people, for instance the
conductor of an
orchestra stands on a podium as do many
public speakers. Additionally, podium has commonly come to mean the object a speaker stands behind and sets papers or books upon, even when it's at floor level, though the proper term for that item is a
lectern. The terms are not interchangeable.
One common type of podium is used to honour medalists in sporting events such as the
Olympics. In the Olympics a three level podium is used, the highest level in the centre holds the gold medalist, to their right is a somewhat lower one for the silver medalist. To the left of the gold medalist is an even lower platform for the bronze medalist. Some sports, most notably
rowing shun podia, and the symbolism they represent.
Similar podia are used in
motorsport, where the first three finishers will usually stand on one at the end of the race to receive
trophies. Notable exceptions are the
Monaco Grand Prix and the
Indianapolis 500 races which have different historic customs. In motor racing, the term is frequently used to refer to a top three placing (as in "he'll get a podium").
First use at Olympics
According to Professor
Emeritus Robert K. Barney, the
University of Western Ontario's founding director of Western's
International Centre for Olympic Studies, the idea of having winning athletes mount a podium while they received their medals, is a
Canadian idea born in
Hamilton, Ontario in
1930.
Professor Barney's 25-page research paper in the
International Journal of Olympic Studies indicates podia were first used at the 1930 British Empire Games (now
Commonwealth Games) in Hamilton and subsequently during the 1932 Olympic Summer Games in Los Angeles and Winter Games in Lake Placid.
Usage in Motorsport
In many forms of motorsport, the three top-placed drivers in a race stand on a podium for the trophy ceremony. In an international series, the national anthem of the winning driver, and the winning team or constructor may be played and the flags of the drivers' countries are hoisted above them.
Following the presentation of the trophies, the drivers will often spray
champagne over each other and their team-members watching below, a tradition started by
Dan Gurney following the
1967 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Occasionally the drivers will refrain from spraying the champagne as a mark of respect for a fatality during the event.
The term has become common parlance in the media, where a driver may be said to "be heading for a podium finish" or "just missing out on a podium" when he's heading for, or just misses out on a top three finish.
NASCAR, the highest level of stock car racing in the United States, doesn't have a three-person podium. Instead the race winner celebrates with his team in Victory Lane.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Podium'.
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