A two-time Olympic gold medalist has posted a video that has gone viral, comparing the appearance and quality of the gold medals awarded at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 games.
Over the past month, the 2024 Paris Olympics provided a range of unforgettable moments, filled with highs and lows.
From a contentious opening ceremony to a composed pistol shooter, the Paris games offered a variety of memorable experiences.
Alongside these events, the quality of this year’s Olympic medals has been a hot topic of discussion.
Interest in the medals’ quality was likely first ignited when US skateboarder Nyjah Huston shared a video of his bronze medal, which appeared to deteriorate just over a week after he received it.
Huston took to his Instagram stories, stating, “Alright, so these Olympic medals look great when they’re brand new.
“But after letting it sit on my skin with some sweat for a little bit and letting my friends wear it over the weekend, they’re apparently not as high quality as you’d think. It’s looking rough.”
He went on to urge the Olympics to improve the quality of their medals, saying, “I don’t know, Olympic medals, we gotta step up the quality a little bit.”
It appears Huston is not alone in his assessment, as Danish badminton player Viktor Axelsen has also shared a video comparing the gold medals he won at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 games.
In the video posted to Twitter, it is evident that the gold medal from the Tokyo games is noticeably shinier, despite being nearly four years old.
While each medal has its unique design, which I find both quite appealing, online users have largely favored the Tokyo medal for its superior quality.
“The Tokyo one looks expensive meanwhile the Paris just meh,” one user commented.
“It looks like the Paris medal just identifies as gold,” another user added.
“The Paris one is so dirty. Why?”, another questioned.
However, some have defended the Paris medals, noting that they contain a piece of metal from the Eiffel Tower.
“The Paris medal is made with a piece of Eiffel Tower, which is invaluable,” one user noted, adding that this fact is incredibly significant.
Another user commented, “Paris ones are more creative design.”
Fans were previously surprised to learn that Olympic gold medals are actually composed of around 500 grams of pure silver with only 6 grams of gold.
But regardless of their appearance, isn’t winning an Olympic medal priceless?