VENICE, Italy (Reuters) -Organisers of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics unveiled on Tuesday the medals that will be awarded to athletes during the Games next year.
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 has its own distinct symbol.
They were presented at a ceremony in Venice that featured two celebrated retired Italian athletes, swimmer Federica Pellegrini, and Francesca Porcellato, who has won gold medals at both 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.
The medals have been produced by the IPZS, the state mint, which is owned by the economy ministry.
A total of 245 gold, 245 silver, and 245 bronze medals will be presented during the Winter Games. In the Paralympics, 137 medals will be awarded in each of the three rankings.
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 February 6 to 22 next year. The Paralympics will follow the following month.
(Reporting by Elvira Pollina and Keith Weir, editing by Toby Davis)
