Athletes get first look at Commonwealth Games medals

The medals were officially unveiled at the Roundhouse in Birmingham after being brought in with the three students who designed them on a canal barge.

The designers from Birmingham’s School of Jewellery took inspiration from the journey that athletes take to reach their goal of competing at the Games, and so embossed areas, symbolising an aerial map of the host region’s road and canal network, have been included as a key feature of the design.

The medals are being manufactured by Toye, Kenning and Spencer in the Jewellery Quarter and were designed by Amber Alys, with Francesca Wilcox and Catarina Rodrigues Caeiro also part of the winning team that has designed the ribbon and the box for the medal too.

Amber Alys, the lead designer for the medal, spoke on behalf of the design team and said: "It has been incredible to see our designs come to life, and we're delighted with the medals, ribbons and presentation boxes.

"We really thought about the athletes when designing the medals – the connection between athletes and the journey they go on to achieve their dream of standing on top of the podium.

"We wanted to create something with a jewel-like quality so that the athletes had something that they could treasure for the rest of their lives. We really hope the athletes like them."

The medal and ribbon have been designed with all athletes competing in the 19 sports and eight Para sports in mind, and has been created so that is it textured and has a tactile quality, so all athletes, and especially those with a visual impairment, can feel the design.

The ribbon attached to the medal is also adjustable, so that it sits comfortably when worn, no matter the height of the athlete or Para athlete wearing it.

A number of athletes were present to see the medals up close, including multiple Paralympic medallist Hannah Cockcroft and Paralympic and Commonwealth athlete Nathan Maguire, as well as Raidene Carter, medal project lead for Birmingham 2022.

Among the local athletes present to be the first to see the medals were newly crowned European Judo Champion Gemma Howell, from Telford, and Mandhir Kooner, a wrestler from Wolverhampton, whose selection for Team England was announced last week.

Both spoke of their pride at seeing the medals and their excitement at competing in a home games.

Gemma said: "It's great to see them in real life and a bit scary of how real it suddenly is, but I also feel a lot more inspired at seeing them and really want to win one now.

"Having a home games is great and I think the advantage we will get in Judo will help us get that harder push, so the opportunity is really lucky for me and the fact it's in the Midlands is even better."

Mandhir said: "It's really exciting to see them for the first time and an honour to be among the first athletes to do so.

"I'm really excited about competing in a home games as it will be the first chance my friends and family will have to see me compete and I think it's great that we get this opportunity to compete at home and it will be a proud feeling if I win one of those medals."

Hannah Cockroft said: "Since I have been an international athlete, my events have not been included in the Commonwealth Games, so I have never been able to compete for Team England before.

"From the minute I found out that the 100m for T33/34 athletes was included on the athletics programme, I have been thrilled that I finally have a chance to add a Commonwealth Games medal to my collection.

"Now that I have seen how beautiful the medals are, I’m even more focused on winning one this summer."

A total of 1,875 medals will now be produced, to be awarded to the athletes placing first, second and third in the 283 medal events that are part of the Games, including more medal events for women than men for the first time ever.

The medal winners will also be given a box in which to keep the medal, and this features the aerial map design too, providing a clear connection to the design of the medal.