Although the design of the medals has yet to be unveiled, the high volume of medals being produced is due to Sochi 2014 having the highest ever number of sports events included on the programme.

The Olympics will feature 15 disciplines of seven winter sports, namely biathlon; bobsleigh – bobsleigh and skeleton; curling; ice hockey; luge; skating – figure skating, short track speed skating and speed skating; and skiing – alpine, cross country, nordic combined, ski jumping, freestyle and snowboard.

Meanwhile, the Paralympics will include events in the five winter sports of alpine skiing, biathlon, cross country skiing, ice sledge hockey and wheelchair curling.

"I am certain that the Olympic and Paralympic medals produced by the most experienced craftsmen at Adamas will not only be a symbol of victory, but a real decoration for the 2014 Games in Sochi," Sochi 2014 President and chief executive Dmitry Chernyshenko (pictured top, right) said after signing the deal with Andrei Sidorenko (pictured top, left), chairman of the board of directors at Adamas.

The design of the medals for both the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is due to be unveiled in May.

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