King Gustav V of Sweden delivers a speech from a podium

For the 2004 film directed by Yann Moix, see Podium (film). "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. The year 2004 in film involved some significant events Major releases of sequels took place Podium is a 2004 French Comedy / Fantasy Film directed by Yann Moix starring Belgian actor Benoît

A podium (plural podia) is a platform that is used to raise something to a short distance above its surroundings. In architecture a building can rest on a large podium. The term architecture (from Greek αρχιτεκτονικήarchitektoniki) can be used to mean a process a profession or documentation Podia can also be used to raise people, for instance the conductor of an orchestra stands on a podium as do many public speakers. Conducting is the act of directing a Musical performance by way of visible gestures An orchestra is an instrumental ensemble, usually fairly large with string brass woodwind sections and possibly a percussion section as well Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured deliberate manner intended to inform influence or entertain the listeners Additionally, podium has commonly come to mean the object a speaker stands behind and sets papers or books upon, even when it is at floor level, though the proper term for that item is a lectern. A lectern (from the Latin lectus, past participle of legere, "to read" is a reading desk with a slanted top usually placed on a stand or affixed to The terms are not interchangeable.

One common type of podium is used to honour medalists in sporting events such as the Olympics. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games 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. GB coxless pair of Toby Garbett & Rick Dunn at Henley Royal Regatta 2004

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. ----A trophy is a reward for a specific achievement and usually afterwards serves as proof of merit Notable exceptions are the Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500 races which have different historic customs. The Monaco Grand Prix (Grand Prix de Monaco is a Formula One race held each year on the Circuit de Monaco. The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, often shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500, and historically known simply as "The 500" is an American 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. The University of Western Ontario (known as Western, as well as UWO or Western Ontario) is a public research University located in London Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Hamilton (ˈhæməltən ( 2006 population 504559 UA population 647634 CMA population Year 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

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. The Commonwealth Games is a multinational Multi-sport event. Held every four years it involves the elite athletes of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Usage in Motorsport

A Formula 1 podium. The winner stands in the middle, with the second placed driver to his right and the third place driver to his left. Also present are the dignitaries who will present the trophies.

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. Daniel Sexton Gurney (born April 13, 1931) is an American racing driver race car constructor and team owner The 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 35th Grand Prix of Endurance and took place on June 10 and 11, 1967. ^[1] 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 is heading for, or just misses out on a top three finish.

NASCAR, the highest level of stock car racing in the United States, does not have a three-person podium. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing ( NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of Stock cars in the United States. Instead the race winner celebrates with his team in Victory Lane.

References

See also

• Lectern

External links

• Podiums first used in modern Olympics