USA's Joe Kovacs Explains Why His 2016 Silver Medal is β€˜Really Scratched Up'

Kovacs won't make the same mistake with his 2020 silver medal

NBCUniversal Media, LLC

Joe Kovacs made a huge mistake after winning his first Olympic medal, a silver in men's shot put in 2016.

After earning the medal, Kovacs was given a wooden case to store it for safekeeping. The wood, apparently, rubbed against the medal when the case opened and left the medal with scratches all over.

"My silver medal from Rio looks pretty terrible," Kovacs said. "So, I'm glad I have another one to show because that one got really scratched up in the box."

The 32-year-old Kovacs claimed a second career silver in the shot put in Tokyo, and he knows where he won't put it when he arrives back home. Kovacs isn't going to let that medal out of sight, even on the flight back.

"I'm going to keep it around my neck the whole way home to keep it protected."

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