Sporting First: Relay Athletes Win Diamond Medals

(IDEX Online) - Medals awarded to the 120 winners at the World Athletics Relays in Botswana were all embedded with a locally-sourced diamond.

It was the first time in the event's history that traditional gold, silver, and bronze medals were set with a diamond.

The gems were provided by the state-owned Okavango Diamond Company (ODC) as part of its $750,000 sponsorship package. They were polished locally in partnership with Ankit Gems Botswana and SRK Export.

World Athletics, the global governing body for track and field, selected Botswana as the first African nation to host the event, which was held on 2 and 3 May.

It provided Botswana, the world's second largest diamond producer, with an opportunity to showcase its goods on a global stage.

Teams from 56 countries competed across men's, women's, and mixed categories in the 4x100m, 4x400m, 4x400m hurdles, and shuttle hurdles.

Ahead of the event, Botswana's President Duma Boko said: "For the first time in the history of global athletics, the medals of the World Athletics Relays will feature a natural diamond from Botswana."