French swimmers reveal shocking state of their Olympic bronze medals four months on from Paris 2024 – after terrible conditions of medals went viral in summer
Two French swimmers have become the latest Olympians to complain about the shocking state of their bronze medals – four months on from the close of the Paris Games.
Over the summer, Team USA stars Nyjah Huston, Nick Itkin and Ilona Maher all went viral when sharing images of the rapid deterioration of their cherished medals.
Now, Clement Secchi and Yohann Ndoye-Brouard have both taken to social media to reveal the sorry state of their own bronze medals which they won together in the 4×100-metre medley relay.
First, Secchi showed off his shabby prize with the caption ‘crocodile skin’. His team-mate, Ndoye-Brouard, responded by posting his own rusty medal with the witty comment ‘Paris 1924’.
It is a further embarrassment for Paris 2024 who were forced to respond to the raft of complaints from athletes over the summer and promised that any damaged medals would be replaced.
Skateboarder Huston was the first to draw attention to the issue, revealed that his own was looking worse for wear after just 10 days.
Clement Secchi shares a picture of his medal alongside the caption ‘crocodile skin’
Team-mate Yohann Ndoye-Brouard responds by posting his own rusty bronze medal on X
Ndoye-Brouard (left) and Secchi (right) won bronze in the 4×100-metre medley relay
‘Alright, so these Olympic medals look great when they’re brand new, but after letting it sit on my skin with some sweat for a little bit and then letting my friends wear it over the weekend, they’re apparently not as high quality as you would think,’ he said.
‘I mean, look at that thing. It’s looking rough. Even the front. It’s starting to chip off a little. So yeah, I don’t know, Olympic medals, you maybe gotta step up the quality a little bit.’
British diver Yasmin Harper also revealed that her medal was showing signs of deterioration within a week of winning bronze with partner Scarlett Mew Jensen in the women’s 3m synchronised springboard diving.
‘There’s been some small bits of tarnishing,’ said Harper who won Britain’s first medal of the Games.
‘I think it’s water or anything that gets under metal, it’s making it go a little bit discoloured, but I’m not sure.’
Britain’s Yasmin Harper (left) who won Britain’s first medal with Scarlett Mew Jensen in diving, also admitted that her medal had shown signs of wear but it hadn’t tarnished her success
Nyjah Huston shared the shocking condition of his bronze medal days after the Olympics
Huston’s bronze medal from Paris started chipping after his celebrations in the States
However, the 24-year-old added that she was not bothered by the situation ‘because it’s still a medal’.
The medals were designed by French luxury jeweller Chaumet and are set with a piece of iron taken from the Eiffel Tower during renovation in the 20th Century.
Paris 2024 medals contain a sliver of the Eiffel Tower as a nod to the host city but the exact make up of medals vary between Olympics.
Gold medals are mostly made of silver with a gold coating. Bronze medals are usually a mix of copper, zinc and tin.
Bronze naturally oxidizes when exposed to air and moisture. How quickly bronze degrades depends on the proportion of metals in the alloy, although cheaper metals often quicken the process.
