WORSE FOR WEAR
Olympics medals falling apart as Team USA star Ilona Maher shows off ‘worn’ bronze after officials vow to replace them
Watch Rugby Sevens star Maher point out where the medal is tarnished in the video above
TEAM USA star Ilona Maher has become the latest Olympian to reveal issues with the Paris 2024 medals.
Skateboarder Nyjah Huston recently went viral after taking to Instagram to complain about the rough condition of his bronze medal less than two weeks after having received it.
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In the clip, Huston showed off his battered and peeling medal, commenting that its quality didn't seem to be as "high" as he once believed.
"Alright, so the medals look great when they are brand new," he said.
"But they look worse after I let them sit on my skin with some sweat for a little while and let my friends wear them over the weekend.
"They are apparently not as high quality as you would think."
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Now, USA Rugby Sevens bronze medalist Maher has also revealed that her medal is struggling to maintain its once pristine condition.
During an appearance on Late Night with Seth Myers, Maher said that her "gorgeous" medal "is wearing a little bit."
As was the case with Huston, the clip seemed to show the same tarnished look around the edges.
Such instances may lead to replacements being sent out to the Olympians, as per a statement by the International Olympic Committee.
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"The medals are the most coveted objects of the Games and the most precious for the athletes," the IOC told LadBible.
"Damaged medals will be systematically replaced by Monnaie de Paris and engraved in an identical way to the originals."
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Regardless, seemingly still in love with her medal, Maher went on to describe it as "a solid hunk" and "a great piece of metal" when commenting on its surprising weight.
She added that she has worn the medal "a lot," adding, "People talk about their chains; That's my chain.
"But it is heavy, and it does kind of wear on the neck, which is like a fun burden to bear, wearing an Olympic medal."
Maher also took the opportunity to give British Olympic diver Tom Daley a shoutout.
The recently retired five-time medalist was seen knitting throughout the games while watching events.
One of his projects happened to be a French flag medal sock for Maher, which he gifted to her at the closing ceremony.
In an Instagram reel, Daley explained that he had been making the pouches for all of Team GB's medalists, however, "There was someone very special that I wanted to make another medal pouch for."
A thrilled Maher was later given the pouch mid-way through the ceremony, repeatedly calling it, "Perfect!"
The Paris Olympics proved a game-changer not only for US women's rugby, winning their first-ever medal, but also for Maher.
Throughout the games, she proved a hit on social media, with her funny and insightful content repeatedly going viral.
This has led to a huge boost in her following, with 3.6 million people now following her Instagram account, and another 2.3 million her TikTok.
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Maher has since gone on to appear on only on Late Night with Seth Myers, but also Olympic Highlights with Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson.
She has also created sponsored content for Google.
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