Collecting Medals

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Gold, Silver, Bronze – These 3 colours we associate with precious metals, especially gold and silver.

Jewelries made from these are the most admired and wanted. They adorn many men and women as they offer the wearer a sense of high status and affluence. Some believe jewelries bring luck and wealth as they draw the owner with such qualities. By adding the word “medal” to jewelries and it becomes something else. It becomes an achievement, which is something to strive to, something to train for.

The Olympic Games award these medals to the winners in all group of races. Athletes, therefore, achieve a high level of fitness and skill for being able to compete and vie for a medal in the Olympics.

As a kid, watching these athletes compete and win those medals was something very special. It was as if watching superheroes with extraordinary abilities fight against something that we could only dream about. Competing in school gave a sense of accomplishment like what these athletes have gone through.

Medals in the same colours, albeit slightly lighter in weight, were up for grabs in school sporting events. Like superheroes, you were one of the super-humans if you won one in school. Everyone watched you win on sports day. WOW! What a title. Thus, you became the envy of many.

The excitement of receiving a medal in sporting activities is indescribable. The endless training hours and efforts are all worthwhile. Nowadays, the weekly sporting events have increased the chances of getting a medal. Be it a cycling event, running event, multisport event or an obstacle course event. Every participants will receive a finisher medal when you complete the race.

A finisher medal is an attainment most of us wish to attempt. To me, however, acquiring medals has become somewhat of a hobby. After participating in various sporting events, the finisher medal has become a target I endeavor. Finisher medals cannot be bought. It is only given out when you complete the races you signed up for. Whether cycling a century or running the first 10km, it is an encouragement presented to you at the finishing line for accomplishing the race.

ou may hear of professional athletes competing in the same event as you do, and for the reason your finisher medal becomes more valuable. A thought flashes through your mind, “I ran the same course as the pros and I completed it!” It becomes another level of achievement. And for some participants who are fitter, faster and stronger, they can try to emulate these pros and keep themselves up.

Event organizers, sometimes, post pictures of the finisher medals on their social media platforms, for the participants to acknowledge the designs of the medals. Some of the designs are the pull factors for them to join the event. On the other hand, some finisher medal collectors would re-join the event to get the last missing piece, in order to complete their medal collections.

Upon receiving a medal at the event, you wear it proudly as you walk around the finishing line, or an area where food and drinks are served to participants for recovery. Pictures with the finisher medal would be flooded all over social media accounts on the event day.

“YAY! You have finished!!” Kudos and accolades pour in from your friends and family upon your achievement. This also makes receiving the medal more treasurable.

Son with his first triathlon medal

When my son was younger, he would take my finisher medal and wear it on him when I came back from an event. He would pretend it was his medal and occasionally wear it to show to his grandparents. This phenomenon would go on for a few events that I participated in.

Unfortunately, events for kids were rare. When he grew older, he joined an event and earned his first finisher medal. He got his achievement unlocked! Currently, my wife, too has joined in collecting medals.

With so many finisher medals, displaying them becomes an issue. Those medals do not come with a case where you can display your achievement. Step in the medal hangers. Medal hangers impressively display your achievements for all to admire, touch and feel.

Most medals and medal hangers are similarly made from steel, hence the weight would turn out immense and heavy. Nonetheless, medal hangers are designed with various motivating speech marks that go with the achievement. For instances, “Think Strong, Be Strong, Finish Strong” or “Born To Run” or simply “Cycling”. These medal hangers alongside our finisher medals are putting on my wall for a show.

That being the case, what finisher medal am I getting next?


Cheong Yue-Jin

Cheong Yue-Jin is an avid and experienced cyclist. He is now full time in serving the cycling community, with the intention to encourage more people to cycle, and create awareness of safe cycling. He has a cycling dream, the dream to tour the Great Ocean Road on two wheels and to see the Tour De France LIVE with his son!

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