Winner's medal issued for the Paris 1900 Olympics. Silver, 40 mm x 58 mm, 57 gm, by Frederic Vernon, Paris. The front, inscribed "Republique Francaise, Exposition Universelle, Paris 1900," features a winged goddess scattering laurels over the grounds of the Exposition; the reverse identifies the sport as ballooning, "Concours D'Aerostation," and depicts a victorious athlete upon a podium with a stadium and the Acropolis in the background. Stamped "Argent" on an edge.
Despite satisfying selection criteria for official Olympic events, the hot air balloon competitions have generally not been classified as official. During these events, aeronautical pioneer Henry de La Vaulx set two world records for distance and duration piloting a balloon flight.
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