Italy showcases medals for 2026 Winter Games
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The medals have the traditional Olympic five-ring symbol on one side, with an inscription on the reverse that details the event and commemorates the venue.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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VENICE – The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics organisers unveiled on July 15 the medals that will be awarded to athletes during the Games.
The medals have the traditional Olympic five-ring symbol on one side, with an inscription on the reverse that details the event and commemorates the venue.
The same format has been used for the Paralympics, which have their own distinct symbol.
They were presented at a ceremony in Venice that featured two celebrated retired Italian athletes, former Olympic swimmer Federica Pellegrini and Francesca Porcellato, who has won gold medals at both the Winter and Summer Paralympics.
“Each medal, whether Olympic or Paralympic, is a story etched into metal: it speaks of effort, determination, sacrifice and the hopes of those who have lived to reach the podium,” said Giovanni Malago, president of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Foundation.
“We conceived a medal that represents purity and a return to essence,” added Raffaella Panie, the organising committee’s brand director.
“We celebrate the strength found in difference: two unique halves that join through the Olympic and Paralympic symbols to deliver a bold and unified message.
“This concept is also reflected in the surfaces of the medals, where two textures meet and begin a story written not only by the athletes and para-athletes, but also by those who supported them: coaches, teammates, family members and fans.”
The medals have been produced by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, the state mint, which is owned by Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance.
A total of 245 gold, 245 silver, and 245 bronze medals will be presented during the Winter Games. The medals are 80mm in diameter and 10mm thick, with the gold medals weighing 506g. In the Paralympics, 137 medals will be awarded in each of the three rankings.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, over 200 medals became discoloured due to oxidisation, with the French mint Monnaie de Paris promising to replace them.
Milan and the town of Cortina d’Ampezzo, one of Italy’s most famous ski resorts, are the main hosts of the Games, which run from Feb 6 to 22, 2026.
The Paralympics will follow from March 6 to 15. REUTERS, AFP
