So, aside from the obvious significance of representing fabulous success on the greatest stage on earth, does the design really matter to the athlete?

Well, the simple answer to that is that yes, it does. From the protective box to the ribbon, every element of the medal is absolutely treasured by medal winners. When I won my gold medal at the Sydney 2000 Games, it quickly became one of my most prized possessions; I didn't want to let it out of my sight, and even took it to bed with me for a time.

More than 2,100 medals will be awarded at the London 2012 Olympic Games, and British artist David Watkins has designed a suitably powerful creation.

The medal is extremely dynamic, making great jewel-like use of the '2012' logo. It marries the ancient and traditional with the modern and graphic, and will be the perfect complement to the Olympic Games.

My colleagues and I on the LOCOG Athletes' Committee have been heavily involved in the development of the medal design, which I feel was crucial in ensuring the medals fulfilled every wish of the athlete.

With exactly one year until the London 2012 Games kick off, athletes around the world will be focusing their attention harder than ever on ensuring they are in the shape and form of the lives next summer. I feel that they will be fittingly rewarded for their efforts with some of the most memorable and iconic medals the Olympic Movement has ever seen.

So what happens next? Well, the production team in Wales will get started on making the medals at Royal Mint's headquarters in South Wales later this year, and there will also be another exciting announcement regarding the Paralympic medal design.

The unveiling of the medal design is a fitting way to celebrate the 12-month milestone. We can briefly pause to recognise a job well done thus far, but the London 2012 offices will be buzzing as usual tomorrow morning, with a united team pulling together to put on a gold-medal worthy performance of our own.