Napoli 2019 Summer Universiade medals unveiled

NAPLES, 1 April – They are inspired by Italian cuisine and the purest ingredients the Campania region has to offer, and their design resembles the national dish that we all love so much. This morning, the Napoli 2019 Summer Universiade medals were unveiled during a press conference held at the host city’s Mostra D’Oltremare convention center, home of the Organising Committee.

Superbly crafted works of cooking, they were created by world-famous and Naples-born chef Gino D’Aprile, who incorporated all the natural ingredients of a classic Napolitean pizza – including the irresistible fiordilatte DOP – into their design, applying centuries-old tradition of pizza-making. The fascinating craft was rounded off with 100 per cent natural dye to create medals in gold, silver and bronze.

The result is the first-ever edible precious metal, a fully biodegradable award student-athletes may consume right after winning at the upcoming Summer Universiade 2019. Star cook and chief designer D’Aprile decided not to include any lettering into the medal design. “Knowing that our pizza is popular all around the globe, no words are needed to describe the honor of winning,” D’Aprile said during the media event on Monday morning. “The fresh quality and rich taste of these medals speaks for itself.”

All medals range in weight from 150 to 200 grams, with a diameter of seven centimetres. As per the collective trade mark “Verace Pizza Napoletana”, the Neapolitan pizza must be soft, elastic and free of any burnings which is the total opposite of an average student-made frozen pizza. 

To ensure a fresh tasting experience, the competition venues that hold medal events will be equipped with a certified wood-fired oven, which reaches a temperature between 430-480 degree Celsius during the cooking process. All mini pizzas will be inserted for 60-90 seconds before undergoing the colouring process and being handed to the successful athletes. D’Aprile is confident, this world premiere for great-tasting and heavly-smelling medals will boost the competitors determination even more.

To conclude the press conference on 1 April, Gino D’Aprile invited all domestic and international media present to stay at the Mostra until lunch time to convince their own taste buds that this revolutionary art of medal-making is the future of sports awarding.

Buon appetito!

And happy April Fool’s Day!