Photo credit: Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images
It’s because winning is delicious!
LOL.
Photo credit: Christophe Simon/AFP /Getty Images
Seriously though, according to David Wallechinsky, the president of the International Society of Olympic Historians and co-author of “The Complete Book of the Olympics” via CNN in 2012, “It’s become an obsession with the photographers.”
“I think they look at it as an iconic shot, as something that you can probably sell. I don’t think it’s something the athletes would probably do on their own,” he added.
Photo credit: Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images
Another possible reason is to check if its real gold. We have that practice when buying gold jewelry that we bite on it to prove that it’s authentic. Our bite leaves an indentation if it’s legit gold.
Although Olympic medals are only a small part gold (1.34% gold and the rest is sterling silver), it is still somewhat fun to see athletes biting on what they have won to check that their medals are authentic.
Photo credit: Getty
Aside from the gold medals, the winning athletes in Rio 2016 will receive $25,000 as prize.
Photo credit: Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images
Oh, even our very own, Hidilyn Diaz, was photographed biting her silver medal. Hidilyn won a silver in the women’s 53kg class in Rio, ending our 20-year Olympic medal drought.
Photo credit: @tedmelendresINQ|@cedelfptINQ/Philippine Daily Inquirer
Congrats to all the winners! 🙂
