Sochi unveils 'patchwork quilt' design of medals for 2014 Winter Olympics

5/30/2013
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Gold, left, silver, center, and bronze medals are displayed for journalists during a presentation of Sochi 2014 Olympic medals at the SportAccord International Convention today in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Gold, left, silver, center, and bronze medals are displayed for journalists during a presentation of Sochi 2014 Olympic medals at the SportAccord International Convention today in St. Petersburg, Russia.

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — Sochi organizers have unveiled the medals for the 2014 Winter Olympics featuring a "patchwork quilt" design representing the different regions of Russia.

Organizers produced a record 1,300 medals for the Olympics and Paralympics, which will be held in the Black Sea resort next February and March. The medals depict the sun's rays reflecting through a prism of mountains and beaches.

The design was approved today by the IOC executive board.

The medals are 0.4 inches thick and 4 inches in diameter.

The Olympic gold medals weigh 16 ounces. A total of 6.6 pounds of gold was used to make the medals, which are gold-plated.