Nyjah Huston, the 29-year-old skateboarding legend from California, recently secured a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.
However, he has since revealed a disappointing issue: his hard-earned medal is rapidly deteriorating in quality.
After finishing seventh in Tokyo, Huston was determined to make his mark in Paris. He came agonizingly close to a first-place finish in the skateboard street final on July 29, leading the competition through the first two rounds. However, in a dramatic final round, fellow American Jagger Eaton and Japan’s Yuto Horigome managed to surpass him, leaving Huston with a well-deserved bronze.
Despite his initial disappointment at missing out on gold, Huston was proud of his bronze medal. He decided to extend his stay in Paris, proudly wearing his medal throughout the remainder of the Games.
From the moment he woke up to when he went to sleep, the medal remained around his neck—a testament to his achievement.
However, it seems that constant wear has taken a toll on the medal.
Huston took to Instagram to share the unfortunate news: his once shiny and impressive bronze medal is already showing signs of significant deterioration. The back of the medal, in particular, looks especially worn, resembling an old penny rather than a prized Olympic award.
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Huston even shared a comment from a follower who joked that it looked like he won the medal in 1982—a sentiment that, sadly, isn’t far from the truth.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has taken notice of the issue. The medals for this year’s Games were produced by Monnaie de Paris, and the IOC has acknowledged the problem, stating that they are “aware of a social media report from an athlete whose medal is showing damage a few days after it was awarded.”
The committee is currently investigating what went wrong and has assured that any athletes experiencing similar issues will receive new medals.
Paris 2024 organizers are working closely with Monnaie de Paris, the institution responsible for the production and quality control of the medals, to understand the circumstances and cause of the damage.
They emphasized that the medals are the most coveted objects of the Games and hold immense value for the athletes. Damaged medals will be systematically replaced and engraved identically to the originals to preserve their significance.
While some might argue that the aging medal has a unique, vintage charm, it’s clear that athletes like Huston expect their Olympic medals to remain shiny and pristine.
The Olympics are taking steps to make things right, ensuring that Huston and any other affected athletes receive the quality they deserve.
