Breezy Johnson wins gold medal in downhill
Breezy Johnson won the gold medal for the U.S. team in the women’s downhill, but accidentally broke her medal after jumping up in excitement.
take sports seriously
Several Olympians have broken medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, and the list is getting longer.
Within the first week of competition, at least six athletes broke their medals after winning an event. The list includes Americans Breezy Johnson, Alisa Liu and Jackie Wiles, Swedish cross-country skier Eva Andersson, Dutch skater Jutta Lierdam and German biathlete Justus Strelow.
“It’s definitely heavy. It’s heavier than I expected,” Johnson said after winning the Olympic downhill title. “I think that’s probably what caused it to break.”
On Tuesday, Wiles, one of the most recent Olympic athletes to be stripped of her medals, was asked if she would relinquish her medal after winning bronze in the women’s team combined event. “Probably to fix it,” Wiles said.
The increase in accidents points to a larger question: why so many medals are suddenly breaking.
According to guardiana detachment mechanism is attached to the cord of the medal. Apparently it’s required by law. The medal’s built-in system is designed to release when pulled with some force. Ultimately, this design is intended to prevent athletes from choking.
The Olympic Committee also appears to be aware of this problem.
“Following reports of an issue affecting a small number of medals, the organizing committee worked closely with the state mint where the medals were produced and immediately reviewed the issue,” an Olympic spokesperson recently told the media.
“A solution has been identified and a targeted fix has been implemented. Athletes whose medals were affected are encouraged to return them through the appropriate channels to ensure prompt repair and return.”
