Milano Cortina 2026 Reveals Medals For Next Year’s Olympic And Paralympic Winter Games

Milano Cortina 2026 has unveiled the medals for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

The medals, which were revealed during an event in Venice, (capital of Veneto, one of the host regions of the Games), presented by Olympian and Head of the Ambassador Programme for Milano Cortina 2026, Valentina Marchei, are a celebration of Italian design and victory through the Italian spirit.

Two legends of sport, Federica Pellegrini, double Olympic medallist and Italy's most successful swimmer, and Francesca Porcellato, who won 15 Paralympic medals after participating in 13 Summer and Winter Games, accompanied the medals by boat on their journey to the grand unveiling.

The pair travelled with the medals from Venice Santa Lucia station to the historic Palazzo Balbi on the Canal Grande, where the reveal event took place.

Developed by the design team of Milano Cortina 2026, the medals of the Games embody “the determination and passion of the world’s greatest athletes, but also Olympic and Paralympic spirit,” explained Raffaella Paniè, Brand, Identity and Look of the Games Director for Milano Cortina 2026.

The medals, which bring together elegance, visual impact and sustainability, will be crafted by the Italian State Mint and Polygraphic Institute (IPZS) using recycled metal recovered from its own production waste. They will be cast in induction furnaces powered entirely by renewable energy, with eco-friendly packaging made with FSC-certified materials and minimal use of plastics.

“The medals we have created to celebrate the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games represent the mastery and excellence of Italian design. Each one is a unique piece, the result of craftsmanship and innovation,” said Paolo Perrone, President of the Italian State Mint and Polygraphic Institute.

“The Milano Cortina 2026 medals place the athlete at the centre of the story, expressing the universality of sport, the struggle, and the emotion of victory.”

The design places emotion and teamwork at its core, symbolising not only the union of two cities, Milan and Cortina, but also the soul of victory and the effort it takes to achieve it. The medals feature two halves brought together by the Olympic and Paralympic values, reflecting the culmination of an athlete’s journey and all of those who stood by their side along the way.

"An Olympic medal is never just a piece of metal," said Italian rhythmic gymnast and two-time Olympic bronze medallist, Alessia Maurelli. "For me, it holds every “early morning” when giving up seemed easier than moving forward… but we chose to keep going.

"It’s proof that dreams can survive time, doubt, and even fear."

“I remember the design of each medal," said French biathlete, Martin Fourcade, winner of seven Olympic medals in Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018. "It’s important, it’s something we mush cherish as an athlete. We have to like them, not only as a symbol but visually too. I loved the whole three I won, at a different time of my career."

“We conceived a medal that represents purity and a return to essence. With our medals, 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, but also by those who supported them: coaches, teammates, family members, and fans”, said Raffaella Paniè.

"My grandfather has played an incredibly important role in these medals," said Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Norway's five-time Olympic champion in cross-country skiing. "He's been my coach since I was 15, and he still is to this day – now at the age of 82."

"My mom has been with me through every step like all the highs, the lows, the long drives, the early mornings," said American figure skater Karen Chen, a gold medallist from Beijing 2022.

"My dad was always quietly supporting from behind the scenes, making sure we had what we needed, so I could keep training. They both gave so much so I could chase this dream, and I wouldn’t have made it without them."

IPZS is responsible for their engineering and production, and Versalis (Eni), another official Games partner, is producing the official box and tray for the medals.

The unveiling of the Milano Cortina 2026 medals follows February’s reveal of the mascots, and April’s reveal of the torches for the upcoming Winter Olympic and Paralympic torch relays.

Key figures of the Milano Cortina 2026 medals

Medals will be awarded in 195 events: 245 gold, 245 silver, and 245 bronze medals will be presented during the Olympic Winter Games. 137 gold, 137 silver, and 137 bronze medals will be awarded during the Paralympic Winter Games. This brings the grand total to 1146 medals.

Features of all medals