On Tuesday, at an event held in Venice, the medals that athletes will wear at the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics were unveiled. The event, presented by Olympian and head of the Milano Cortina 2026 Ambassador Program, Valentina Marchei, brought together leading figures from Italian sport and focused on the design and symbolism of these awards.

The medals, which combine two halves in their design, represent the culmination of the journey of each athlete and all the people who have accompanied them along the way. The presentation was attended by two sporting legends: Federica Pellegrini, double Olympic medalist and Italy’s most decorated swimmer, and Francesca Porcellato, with 14 Paralympic medals after participating in 13 editions of the Summer and Winter Games.

A symbolic journey along the Grand Canal

Both athletes accompanied the medals on a boat trip from Venice Santa Lucia station to the historic Palazzo Balbi, located on the Grand Canal, where the grand presentation took place. This journey symbolized the union of the host cities, Milan and Cortina, and the team spirit that characterizes the Olympic event.

The medals were designed by the Milano Cortina 2026 creative team and, according to Raffaella Paniè, Director of Brand, Identity and Look for the Games, “embody the determination and passion of the world’s best athletes, but also the Olympic and Paralympic spirit.”

Sustainability and excellence in manufacturing

The medals will be manufactured by the Italian State Printing Institute and Mint (IPZS), using recycled metal from its own production waste. The casting process will be carried out in induction furnaces powered entirely by renewable energy, and the packaging will be eco-friendly, made from FSC-certified materials and with minimal use of plastics.

Italian rhythmic gymnast and double Olympic bronze medalist Alessia Maurelli said during the event: “An Olympic medal is never just a piece of metal. For me, it encapsulates every ‘early morning’ when giving up seemed easier than carrying on… but we chose to continue. It is proof that dreams can survive time, doubt, and even fear.”

French biathlete Martin Fourcade, winner of seven Olympic medals in Vancouver, Sochi, and PyeongChang, also shared his view on the importance of design: “I remember the design of each medal. It’s important; it’s something we should appreciate as athletes. We have to like them, not just as a symbol, but also visually. I loved the three I won at different points in my career.”