Faster, higher, rustier: Medals from Rio lose their lustre
NEW YORK: Kyle Snyder made history at the Rio Olympics by becoming the youngest American wrestler to win a gold medal.
The medal will soon be history as well, to be replaced by the IOC and Rio organisers because of damage.
More than 80 American athletes have sent medals they won at Rio to US Olympic Committee headquarters to be shipped to Games organisers, who will replace them due to flaking, black spots and other damage, the USOC said on Tuesday.
The Americans, including gold-medal wrestlers Snyder and Helen Maroulis, are among at least 100 Olympians from across the globe with defective medals.
Beach volleyball star Kerri Walsh Jennings is also in the group; she says her bronze medal is flaking and rusting, and USA Swimming spokesman Scott Leightman said some swimmers have damaged medals as well.
The USOC learned about the problems in December and reached out to all the American sports federations in January to begin the process.
It’s not uncommon for medals to be passed around at post-Games parties and handled by hundreds. But this amount of damage is unusual.
Walsh Jennings, who won three golds in previous Olympics, says her medals tend to get beaten up because she doesn’t hesitate to let people touch them or try them on. But she won’t consider locking them up because people are inspired by them.
“They’ve offered to replace them. I’m not sure if I want to swap it out,” said Walsh-Jennings, adding the reason was “100% sentimental.”
Snyder said he has until the end of the week to return his gold medal and has no idea when he will receive his replacement.
“It wasn’t too big of a deal,” Snyder said. “But since they’re giving me a new one, it’s kind of cool.” — AP