2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games: How will the medals look?

What's the story

Preparations for the 2018 Commonwealth games are well underway. Everything that needs to be done for the Games is crucial. Right from the stadium construction to crafting the medals, every process needs to have perfect results.

As seen above, this year's Medal design represents the soft sand lines which shift with every tide and wave. It is symbolic of athletic achievement. As the water moves towards low tide, each wave moves the sand, creating and leaving behind new lines in the sand witnessed by those present.

In case you didn't know...

The creator of the medal design, Delvene Cockatoo-Collins is a local Nunukul, Ngugi and Goenpul woman of Quandamooka Country. She lives and works on Minjerribah, North Stradbroke Island, the birthplace of her mother and grandmother.

The Heart of the Matter

Delvene draws upon inspiration from the moments that are shared with her family, particularly her mother, and the written words of her grandmother. She translates these narratives into her own contemporary interpretations to ensure their continuation.

She focuses her designs around the beautiful coastlines and the significance of the coast as a place of gathering, meeting and sport. Her medal designs have been brought to life by the Royal Australian Mint which is responsible for the production and delivery of the medals.

The woven strand of the freshwater reed, yungair, is three reeds woven to form a pattern which resembles many triangles joined together. It is reminiscent of the South-East Queensland and Gold Coast areas. The traditional technique involves one reed as the working reed, which continually wraps around the other two reeds. Individually each reed has little function or purpose, however when connected together, they are strong and can have many functions, such as carrying babies and food. It is a skill that has been passed down and shared through the generations.

2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games medal

What Next?

As Official Supporter and Producer of the GC2018 medals, the Royal Australian Mint is responsible for the production and delivery of the medals that will be awarded to a fortunate few athletes from 4-15 April 2018. The medals are crafted using the mint’s coin-making process, and the very same presses that are used to make Australian currency.

The process demands precision, attention to detail, and a weight of up to 460 tonnes. The Mint receives strips of metal and punches out the 63mm diameter circular metal blanks. The blanks are then struck with the design, transforming the metal into a medal. Using this refined process, more than 1,000 medals can be produced per day.

Sportskeeda's Take

The 2018 Commonwealth Games will be held in Gold Coast, Australia from 4th to 15th April 2018. With 5 months to go, the athletes are not the only ones working hard to prepare for the Games.