podium

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King Gustav V of Sweden delivers a speech from a podium

For the 2004 film directed by Yann Moix, see Podium (film).

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. Podia can also be used to raise people, for instance the conductor of an orchestra stands on a podium as do many public speakers. The word "podium" is sometimes erroneously used to refer to the object behind which a speaker stands and upon which he or she sets papers or books; the correct term for that item is lectern. Merriam-Webster, however, refers to lecterns and podiums as being synonymous in their definition. ^[1]

One common type of podium is used to honor 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.

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.^{[citation needed]}

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

A Formula One 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.^[2] The drivers will generally refrain from spraying champagne if a fatality or major accident occurs 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.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the highest level of stock car racing in the United States, does not have a three-person podium. Instead the winning driver and team celebrate in victory lane.

The IRL IndyCar Series does not use a podium at the Indianapolis 500 or the Bombardier Learjet 550. The Indy 500 has a long tradition of the winning driver and team celebrating in victory lane, while Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage has stated that victory lane should be reserved for the winner of the race.^[3] However, the series does use a podium at all other races.

References

See also

• Lectern