NEW DELHI: India’s star pistol shooter Manu Bhaker is expected to have her two Paris Olympics bronze medals replaced with identical models, as she is among the growing number of athletes, including wrestler Aman Sehrawat, who have raised concerns about their medals deteriorating.
Several athletes worldwide have recently shared images of their worn-out medals on social media.
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It is understood that the colour of Bhaker’s medals has “come off” and that they “have been in that state” for a considerable time.
Similarly, Aman’s bronze medal has shown signs of fading, though the wrestler has yet to file a formal complaint.
Bhaker made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics as the first Indian post-Independence to win two medals in a single edition of the Games. She opened India’s medal tally with a bronze in the individual 10m air pistol event, becoming the first Indian markswoman to achieve this feat. She later partnered with Sarabjot Singh to claim the bronze in the 10m air pistol mixed team event.
Aman, on his Olympic debut, became the youngest Indian medalist at the Summer Games by securing bronze in the men’s 57 kg freestyle wrestling category.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed that all damaged medals will be systematically replaced by Monnaie de Paris, the French state mint, with identical engravings as the originals.
The medals, which weigh 450 grams each, feature an 18-gram iron piece from the Eiffel Tower embedded at their centre.
The Monnaie de Paris, a state-owned entity responsible for minting France’s currency, collaborated with luxury jeweller Chaumet to design the 5,084 gold, silver, and bronze medals for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The replacements are expected to be delivered in the coming weeks, as the Paris Olympics Organising Committee works closely with the mint to address the issue.
