Olympics Snafu Sees U.S. Champion Curlers Receive The Wrong Medals

But the blunder did nothing to dampen the history-making squad's mood.
Joe Polo, John Landsteiner, Matt Hamilton, Tyler George and skip John Shuster won gold for Team USA in the men's curling event.
Joe Polo, John Landsteiner, Matt Hamilton, Tyler George and skip John Shuster won gold for Team USA in the men's curling event.
John Sibley / Reuters

It was an Olympic snafu. Literally.

Games officials in Pyeongchang, South Korea, inadvertently handed out the wrong medals to the U.S. men’s team champion curlers on Saturday morning, reports The Associated Press.

The squad scooped Team USA’s first ever Olympic gold in the sport against Sweden in a tense final.

But when athletes Joe Polo, John Landsteiner, Matt Hamilton, Tyler George and John Shuster came to receive their medals, all but Landsteiner were reportedly given ones engraved with the words “women’s curling gold.”

ESPN writer Alyssa Roenigk shared a photograph of the athletes analyzing the incorrect medals, above. Per USA Today, officials rectified the situation immediately.

Shuster, however, played down the blunder at the post-ceremony press conference. “It wasn’t a big deal at all, I promise,” he said.

Sweden and the Republic of Korea will contest the women’s team event final on Sunday. Hopefully the medals will be cleaned up by then.

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