Soaring precious metal prices could make the medals awarded at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan more valuable than ever, even as the games themselves saw both athletic triumphs and personal scandals. The United States' Ryan Cochran-Siegle secured a silver medal in the men's super-G alpine skiing event, while Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Laegreid confessed to cheating on his girlfriend after winning a bronze medal, according to reports from multiple news outlets.
The 2026 Winter Olympics, held in Milan, Italy, saw athletes from around the world competing for medals. Cochran-Siegle finished the super-G race with a time of 1:25.45, placing him 0.13 seconds behind Swiss skier Franjo von Allmen, who won gold, as reported by Fox News. Marco Odermatt of Switzerland took the bronze.
Meanwhile, Norwegian Olympian Sturla Holm Laegreid admitted to infidelity during a live television interview after winning a bronze medal in the biathlon, a sport combining cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, as reported by Sky News. Laegreid confessed he had "squandered" a "gold medal" by being unfaithful to his girlfriend. He broke down in tears following his win and expressed a desire to reconcile with his girlfriend.
The value of the medals themselves is also a significant story. Olympic gold medals are no longer made of solid gold, according to CBS News. The last time a pure gold medal was awarded was at the 1912 Summer Olympic Games. Today, gold medals are composed of 500 grams of silver plated with six grams of pure gold, according to the International Olympic Committee guidelines. Silver medals contain 500 grams of silver and no gold plating, while bronze medals are solid bronze.
Beyond the competition, the games also highlighted the dedication and influence of athletes like Jessie Diggins, the most decorated cross-country skier in American history. Competing in her fourth and final Olympics, Diggins, a three-time Olympic medalist, is also an advocate for mental health and eating disorder recovery, as reported by Wired.
In other news, the U.S. claimed China was conducting secret nuclear tests, according to NPR Politics.
Discussion
AI Experts & Community
Be the first to comment