The China Mail - Milan-Cortina Olympic medals unveiled

"We conceived a medal that represents purity and a return to essence," explained Raffaella Panie, the organising committee's brand director.

"We celebrate the strength found in difference: two unique halves that join through the Olympic and Paralympic symbols to deliver a bold and unified message.

"This concept is also reflected in the surfaces of the medals, where two textures meet and begin a story written not only by the athletes and Para athletes, but also by those who supported them: coaches, teammates, family members, and fans."

Federica Pellegrini, Italy's 200m freestyle swimming champion at the 2008 Beijing Games, was chosen to front the presentation in Venice.

The medals, 1,146 for both the Olympics and Paralympics, are 80mm in diameter and 10mm thick, with the gold medals weighing in at 500 grammes.

They were designed by the Italian national mint, the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato.

The 2026 Games will run from February 6-22, with the Paralympics taking place between March 6-15.

At last year's Paris Olympics over 200 medals became discoloured due to oxidisation, with the French mint (Monnaie de Paris) promising to replace them.

L.Johnson--ThChM