Winter Paralympics 2026 Medals: Are they made of solid gold, silver and bronze, agitos design, how much are they worth, are the they same as the Winter Olympics medals?
They are the prize that every Paralympian dreams of receiving - but what are they actually worth?
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games are set to start this week, taking place over 10 days of competition from Friday, March 6, to Monday, March 16.
They come less than two weeks after the conclusion of the Winter Olympics, which saw Team GB win a record-breaking three gold medals (along with a silver and a bronze).
The competition will see 612 athletes from 56 countries compete in 79 events across six sports - with a number of subcategories ensuring athletes will compete against those with similar impairments.
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That means a lot of medals will be handed out to those athletes who end up on the podium.
Here’s everything you need to know about the medals.
How many medals will be handed out at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games?
A total of 137 gold, 137 silver, and 137 bronze medals will be handed out at the Paralympics in 2026. That’s a lot of metal and ribbon!
Are the Winter Paralympic Games medals the same as the Winter Olympic Games medals?
The medals at the Winter Paralympics are identical to the ones handed out at the Winter Olympics last months, other than that they feature the Paralympic ‘agitos’ symbol in place of the five Olympic Rings.
What is an ‘agitos’?
The agitos is the symbol of the Paralympic Movement. Meaning ‘I move’ in Latin the three red, blue, and green ‘swooshes’ represent the values of courage, determination, inspiration, and equality.
Are the Winter Paralympic Games medals made out of solid gold, silver and bronze?
Unfortunately for the winning competitors - given the price of precious metals at the moment - the Paralympic Gold Medals are not made of solid gold. Instead, as is stipulated by the International Olympic Committee, they are made of 500 grams of 999 silver plated with six grams of pure 999.9 gold.
The silver medals are made out of 500 grams of pure 999 silver, while the bronze medals are made out of 420 grams of copper.
How much are the Winter Paralympic 2026 medals worth?
While competitors would doubtless agree that the medals are priceless, according to current precious metal value, the gold medals are worth around £1,690, the silver medals around £1,000 and the bronze medals around £3.30.
Who made the medals for the 2026 Winter Paralympics?
The medals were made by the Italian State Mint and Polygraphic Institute, who also made Italian coins, passports and postage stamps.
The medals are made of 100 per cent recycled materials and cast in furnaces powered by renewable energy - meaning they are the most environmentally-friendly Olympic medals ever produced.
What is the design on the 2026 Winter Paralympics medals?
The two sides of the medals are half mirrored surface and half granular texture which represents the "union of two parts in constant motion", as well as the fact that this is the first Games to be hosted by two cities.
The Paralympic logo appears on one side, with the Games' logos on the other with the specific event engraved - so every medal will be unique.
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