Brazil's Felipe Kitadai breaks his Olympic bronze medal in the shower

GlobalPost

SÃO PAULO, Brazil — Brazil's Felipe Kitadai, who won bronze in men's 60kg judo at the London Olympics, broke his medal when he got in the shower wearing it.

Kitadai said he hasn't let the medal out of his sight, and took it in the shower with him as a joke, according to the Associated Press. He dropped it while holding it between his teeth in an attempt to save it from getting wet. 

Brazil's Globo Esporte reported that the part holding the medal's ribbon broke so that he can no longer wear it around his neck. There is also a small dent in the medal itself.

More from GlobalPost: Sarah Menezes wins Brazil's first women's judo gold

The Brazilian Olympic Committee formally requested a new medal for Kitadai, although the IOC is under no obligation to give him a new one, according to Yahoo! Sports. The IOC has said, however, that it will give him a new medal, but has not said when the new Olympic prize — which contains only $4.71 worth of metal — will arrive.

Kitadai won the bronze on his 23rd birthday after beating Italian Elio Verde, mounting the Olympic podium for the first time during his first time competing at the Games, reported EFE.

"I'm very happy about my medal. I would have liked gold but this makes me feel really good," Kitadai said after his win. "It's the best present I could get on my birthday."

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