Then there are engraved silver collars and German and Austrian baroque(12) collars decorated with metalwork and velvet(13).

Top-ranked German cyclist Judith Arndt is most famous for a photo of her flipping the bird at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens as she crossed the finish line to earn a silver medal.

Silver went to the German squad, with the Russians —one of whom just recently recovered from a spinal injury —rounding out the medals count.