The Sochi 2014 Olympic Organizing Committee has unveiled the medals that will be awarded at the Winter Olympics and Paralympics next year.

The medals feature Sochi's trademark "Patchwork Quilt," which draws together elements from the many cultures of the Russian Federation. As the Organizing Committee notes, "the medals have been carefully crafted to depict the landscape of Sochi from the sun's rays reflecting through the snowy mountain tops onto the sandy beaches of the Black Sea coast." (No mention of snow stockpiles, apparently.)

Approximately 1,300 medals will be manufactured because of the enormous number of events. The Sochi Games will include 12 new medal events, including snowboarding, luge relay and women's ski jumping.

The medals weigh between 460 and 531 grams, and the Paralympic medals, with a slightly different design, are between 585 and 686 grams. The medals are 10 millimeters thick and 100 millimeters across.

If you're looking to earn one of these beauties, it might be time to start training.

-Follow Jay Busbee on Twitter at @jaybusbee.-





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