Faster, higher, rustier: Medals from Rio Olympics damaged

By LUKE MEREDITH

AP Sports Writer

More than 100 athletes from around the world say the medals they won at the Rio Olympics are damaged. The IOC and Rio organizers plan to replace them with new medals.

Among those with defective medals are beach volleyball star Kerri Walsh Jennings and U.S. wrestlers Kyle Snyder and Helen Maroulis. Walsh Jennings says her bronze medal from last summer is flaking and rusting.

Rio Games spokesman Mario Andrada says officials have noted problems with the covering on 6 to 7 percent of the medals.

Andrada says the damaged medals were most often dropped or mishandled. He adds that the varnish has come off and they have rusted or gone black in the spot where they were damaged.