SHOWPIECE MEDALS REVEALED AHEAD OF ATHLETICS WORLD CUP

• Britain’s Olympic bronze medallist Sophie Hitchon reveals new platinum Team Winners Medal alongside traditional gold, silver and bronze for the inaugural Athletics World Cup
• Unique and rare ‘Platinum Winners’ Medals’ to be given to those who are a part of the overall winning nation
• The Athletics World Cup takes place on 14-15 July with tickets available at https://www.athleticsworldcup.org/tickets/ticket-information/

Olympic bronze medallist Sophie Hitchon had the honour of unveiling the full set of medals – including first of its kind Platinum Winners’ Medal – ahead of next month’s Athletics World Cup at the London Stadium, 14-15 July.

Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded to the top three athletes in each event as per standard championships, however the real prize assets of the event come in the form of the Platinum Winners’ Medals.

With a status of being both rarer and more valuable than gold, and with a worth of approximately £1500 each in raw material and manufacturing costs alone, only those who belong to the victorious nation will receive one of the Platinum Winners’ Medals alongside the lion’s share of a $2m prize pot overall, of which the winning nation claim $420,000.

The UK’s leading female hammer thrower with five national titles to her name, Hitchon is targeting a place on the British team for this summer’s exciting new event and, if successful in securing her spot, she will hope to add to her medal haul not only in an individual capacity but also as part of what is expected to be a strong British team for the event.

Having revealed the unique medals to the world in London this morning, the 26-year-old expressed her excitement at the prospect of competing at the Athletics World Cup next month in London, saying:

“You don’t need much more motivation competing for the British team in front of what is always an amazing home crowd, but seeing these medals today makes me want to win one even more, particularly as being a holder of the Platinum Winners’ Medal would mean the British team being victorious overall,” she said.

“I’m really excited at the prospect of competing in this event as it captures everything that is brilliant about world-stage athletics: track and field action running alongside one another, action all over the stadium, national flags and the pride that comes with competing for your country – I expect it’s an event that the British fans in particular will embrace.”

On the spotlight it gives to the hammer throw, Hitchon added: “To have hammer taking centre stage to a global audience is obviously something I’m very pleased about – without seeing the event myself it is something that could have passed me by, so hopefully this fantastic event can serve to help us throwers catch the eye of some of those youngsters in the London Stadium.

“The women’s and men’s events are very strong this year and from a British point of view Nick [Milller, Commonwealth champion] is performing phenomenally, so the events will definitely be two of the highlights of the weekend.”

Chief Executive of the Athletics World Cup, Niels de Vos commented:

“Unveiling these iconic medals, including the first-of-a-kind Platinum Winners’ Medals, for the Athletics World Cup is another key moment in our preparations for next month’s event.

“Part of what makes this event unique is that the members of the winning nation are to receieve a prize that surpasses others from the world of sport when it comes to uniqueness and value, and where the Platinum Winners’ Medals are concerned there really is no prize like it in world athletics.

“The fact that the solid platinum centre is detachable and can be worn by itself is a medal innovation of its own that is sure to excite the athletes of the eight competing nations.”

Chief Executive of the World Platinum Investment Council, Paul Wilson said:

“The ceremonial gifting of precious metals to athletes is one of the most widely established and recognised sporting rituals in the world. The more outstanding the sporting achievement, the rarer and more precious the metal used in the medals presented to athletes.

“Platinum is the most precious and rare of the precious metals and all the platinum ever produced would only cover your ankles in one Olympic-sized swimming pool. So it is fitting that it should be used to symbolise the highest level of sporting achievement in this inaugural Athletics World Cup.

“We are honoured to provide the competition winners’ medals for the Athletics World Cup, which champions platinum’s status by rewarding the best athletes and team.”