The spirit of Glasgow has been forged into metal. In a historic unveiling at The Glasgow School of Art, the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games prize medals were revealed to the world. Far from a standard circular award, this year’s medal is a masterclass in geometric innovation, local heritage, and for the first time in the history of the Games, universal accessibility.
The ceremony was graced by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, Vice-Patron of Commonwealth Sport, marking a pivotal countdown to the Games which will run from 23 July to 2 August.
The medal designed in secret by Militsa Milenkova, a Bulgarian-born GSA Artist in Residence who calls Glasgow her “chosen home,” the medal breaks tradition with its Reuleaux triangle shape. This curved triangular form is not merely aesthetic; it is deeply symbolic.
The silhouette is drawn from the city’s coat of arms, while the intricate surface textures mirror the lattice-work of the iconic Finnieston Crane. In a groundbreaking move for the Commonwealth Games, the medals feature braille and tactile elements, ensuring that the achievement is a tangible and felt experience for all athletes. The medal surface is engineered with three distinct levels, representing the tiers of the podium where dreams are realized.
As the largest sporting event in the UK this summer, the stakes are high, a total of 215 Gold Medals to be awarded across 10 sports and 6 Para Sports fully integrated into the program, and a total of 47 Gold Medals dedicated to Para sports, the largest Para sport program in the history of the Games.
Militsa Milenkova, the designer of the commonwealth games prize medals, said, “I really wanted to be involved in designing the medals as for me this place is my chosen home. I wanted to try and portray this into something that will become a symbol for the Games and all the people who take part in it. I thought it would be a really nice way to put my connection with the city into the design.
She further said, “I designed the medal to be a standout edition of the Commonwealth Games medals. I wanted it to be something that the athletes would resonate with. When I was thinking about the design, I wanted to try and fit Glasgow into one shape and to do that I was naturally drawn to the symbol of the city – the coat of arms. That’s where I took the distinctive shape from.
“I then started to play around with my ideas, using the Finnieston Crane and the shapes from it and how that also reminds me of the tartan. I wanted to include that as well as it’s a symbol of national identity for Scotland. The triangular shapes that I have on the surface of the medal come from the top of the crane and the texture represents the tartan. There are three surface levels representing the podiums that athletes step on to – which is possibly the biggest moment of their lives. And I wanted to make inclusion tangible; I’m so proud that the design is tactile and accessible with details expressed in braille on the prize medal for the very first time.
Duncan Scott OBE, Scotland’s most decorated athlete said, “I like the shape of it; don’t get many medals in that shape. It’s really cool and the braille is a nice touch. I get pretty excited looking at medals. They remind you of moments and the memories at certain championships.
“The medal is always the goal of the sport but the medal is so much more than that. People will flock in their thousands to come and watch the swimming but it’s more than just the moment of the swimming. It’s the days of the training, the weeks, months, years leading into that, so for it to be symbolised in something pretty cool like this is quite special.”
Also, the organizers and Academic Leaders Glasgow 2026, George Black CBE also said, ”The Prize Medal is the ultimate symbol of what our athletes are competing for this summer and we wanted it to be truly worthy of that moment. Militsa has created something extraordinary, rooted in Glasgow’s story, bold in its design and meaningful in its commitment to inclusion. Inclusion is at the heart of Glasgow 2026, with the largest Para sport programme in a Games history, fully integrated in the competition. For the first time, every athlete standing on that podium will hold a medal that speaks to who they are and what these Games stand for.”
Finally, Dr Donald Rakure, President, Commonwealth Sport also expressed his delight, in his words, “Today’s medal reveal really brings home what Glasgow 2026 is all about – a reimagined Games where we’re not afraid to do things differently. Militsa has created a medal that athletes across the Commonwealth will be striving to win and proud to wear. Accessibility has been central to the design priorities throughout. The medal has been created around inclusivity, with every detail carefully considered, from the braille and the tactile elements to the three-tiered structure and distinctive shape. It will be instantly recognisable and even among a lifetime of achievements, athletes will know straight away that this is Glasgow 2026.”
The medal is the crown jewel of a broader creative initiative showcasing local talent. Glasgow 2026 is a celebration of the city’s craftsmanship, featuring, the official tartan, the longines countdown clock and the 74 King’s batons.
For more information and to secure your place in history, visit www.glasgow2026.com.
