Rare winner's medal issued for the London 2012 Summer Olympics. Gilt silver, 85 mm, 430 gm, by David Watkins. The front of the medal features text across the top, "XXX Olympiad London 2012," above the winged Nike over Panathinaikon Stadium with the Acropolis in the background; the reverse features the emblem of the London Games against an abstract linear background. The event, “Shooting, Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol,” is engraved along the bottom edge of the medal. The purple ribbon is present but detached at the seam, with "London 2012" and the Olympic rings embroidered in white. The medal exhibits some trivial dings and scratches, and some fading to gilt along the bottom edge. Includes the original information card and black winner’s medal case, which bears some scuffing.
This remarkable winner’s medal was awarded to Cuban shooter Leuris Pupo, whose tenacity and perseverance finally paid off after four consecutive Summer Games. Pupo's first Olympic appearance came at the 2000 Summer Olympics held in Sydney, where he finished tied for ninth in the men's 25-meter rapid fire pistol. He competed in the same event at the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics, and then again at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics, where, in both competitions, he finished seventh. After 12 years of Olympic frustration, Pupo’s aim was true at London’s Royal Artillery Barracks, securing the gold medal by outpointing the field with a final tally of 34 points. Any winner's medals from more recent Olympic Games are extremely scarce and sought-after, with this prodigious London Games prize serving as a truly magnificent example of Olympic grit and triumph.
