The XXVII Summer Universiade, also known as the World University Games, kicked off in Kazan, Russia, over the weekend with some 10,000 athletes from more than 150 countries … and one small problem.
The medals aren’t quite world class.
At least two athletes’ medals have broken already, according to R-Sport, which describes the medals as having “a central emblem attached to the rim with a spindly structure.”
Chinese diver Qin Tian dropped his bronze medal from the three-meter springboard competition on the floor, and it broke. Organizers quickly gave him a replacement, Qin said.
“Now I have two medals, and I’m going to take care of them very carefully,” Qin told R-Sport.
Russian freestyle wrestler Azamat Laipanov had his gold medal broken in similar fashion.
“We’ll get home, and we’ll fix it,” he said, smiling.