U.S. skateboarder Nyjah Huston says Paris Olympics bronze medal is already ‘looking rough’

Winning an Olympic medal is a dream come true for any athlete, but what happens when the medal itself starts to show signs of wear and tear? U.S. skateboarder Nyjah Huston recently took to Instagram to share his disappointment in the quality of his bronze medal from the 2024 Paris Olympics.

In a video, Huston expressed his initial excitement, saying, “All right, so these Olympic medals look great when they are brand new.” However, after wearing the medal and letting his friends try it on, he noticed that the bronze coating had begun to lose its shine. “It’s looking rough. Even the front is starting to chip off a little,” Huston revealed.

Huston is not alone in his concerns. British diver Yasmin Harper, who won a bronze medal in the women’s 3-meter synchronized springboard diving event, has also noticed small bits of tarnishing on her medal. It seems that water or other factors may be causing the discoloration.

The medals for this year’s Summer Games are special, as they contain a piece of original iron from the Eiffel Tower. However, the bronze medals are predominantly made of copper, with some zinc and iron. Paris 2024 organizers have acknowledged the issue and are working with the company responsible for producing the medals, Monnaie de Paris, to understand why they are deteriorating.

“The medals are the most coveted objects of the Games and the most precious for the athletes,” stated a Paris 2024 spokesperson. Any damaged medals will be replaced by Monnaie de Paris, ensuring that the replacements are engraved in an identical way to the originals.

While the athletes’ achievements at the Paris Olympics are certainly worth celebrating, it’s clear that improvements need to be made regarding the durability and longevity of the medals. Let’s hope that future Olympic medals will not only symbolize excellence but also last a lifetime.