Gold standard: Skateboarder questions quality of his Olympic medal

Gold medalist Yuto Horigome of Japan, centre, with silver medalist Jagger Eaton of the United States, left, and bronze medalist Nyjah Huston of the United States, after the men's skateboard street final at the Paris Olympics. Huston said his medal was 'looking like it went to war and back'. Photo: AP/Dar Yasin

One of the biggest stars to have competed in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris has taken to social media to complain about the quality of the medal he won.

Nyjah Huston, widely regarded as one of greatest skateboarders of all time, took bronze in the men's street competition on July 29. Japan’s Yuto Horigome won the gold, and Huston's USA teammate Jagger Eaton took silver.

Having returned to his home in California in recent days, Huston shared a post on Instagram to call out the how much the condition of his Olympic medal has already deteriorated.

In his video, Huston told his five million followers that the "Olympic medals look great when they're brand new."

"But letting it sit on my skin with some sweat for a little bit and letting my friends wear it over the weekend... they're apparently not as high quality as you'd think."

For the Paris Games, Eiffel Tower scrap metal was used to make up the centre pieces of the gold, silver and bronze medals. The medals were designed by Paris jewellery house Chaumet. The bronze medal weighs 525g and is made from a copper, tin and zinc alloy.

The hexagonal shape of the scrap metal in the centre of the medals was chosen to represent France, which is often informally referred to as "L'Hexagone" because of its geographic shape.

Nyjah Huston: 'I don't know, Olympic medals, we gotta step up the quality a little bit.' Photo: AP/Frank Franklin II

The back of the medals feature an image of the Greek goddess of victory, Nike, the Acropolis in Athens, and the Eiffel Tower itself.

All the medals won at this year's games come with a dark blue box from Chaumet, as well as a certificate from the Eiffel Tower Operating Co to illustrate the provenance of the medals.

Huston's post showed small chips in the front of his medal, with its bronze colour already fading from spots on its front and back.

Overall, he said his medal was "looking like it went to war and back”.

“I don't know, Olympic medals, we gotta step up the quality a little bit,” he added.

"I guess the medals are meant to be in cases."