Olympic swimming legend Gary Hall Jr. was given 10 Olympic replica medals after his original ones were destroyed in the Los Angeles fire earlier this year. The devastating fire swept through his home, resulting in the loss of his hard-earned memorabilia from his sporting years.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) President, Thomas Bach, personally presented the replica medals to the athlete at a special ceremony at the IOC headquarters. This gesture was deemed a heartfelt recognition of Hall’s achievements as he won three Olympic Games– Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, and Athens 2004 –where he earned the medals in individual and relay events.
Hall expressed his gratitude and said in his speech, “Thank you for the medals… Never before have 10 Olympic medals been replaced. Probably because no one has lost 10 medals before. I will do a better job at taking care of these.”
The athlete added, “The realisation through this process that outweighs any sense of loss is this word of solidarity and what it means, which cannot be taken away.”
Furthermore, Bach admitted, “When we were reading your tragic story of losing your house and all your possessions and all your worldly properties, this was going straight to our heart.”
“What matters most is the Olympic spirit that lives on in you, Gary — a spirit that no fire can destroy,” The IOC President added as he opened the event.
Hall’s unforgettable experience
The 50-year-old American Olympic, Gary Hall Jr, needed to leave his Olympic medals behind when the wildfire forced him to evacuate his home in Pacific Palisades. The fire moved rampantly through the Los Angeles area, and he did not have enough time to save everything.
Losing those precious medals was heartbreaking for the athlete, and receiving replica medals from the IOC is a meaningful and emotional initiative for him.
In an interview, Hall shared, “I’m emotional. It’s hard for me to put words together at this moment, but I want to start by expressing my deepest gratitude.
I brought one of the melted medals with me. This was originally two gold medals: one from Atlanta and one from Athens. They fused together in the fire. In its place now is this new one… and it already has some character.”
“What I’ve come to realise through this experience is that the value of friendship far outweighs the value of things. Character can’t be burned; it can’t be lost. What matters is what’s inside of us — our spirit. In a world so focused on consumerism, losing everything makes you realise just how little you really need. What got me through this time was the overwhelming support from the aquatics community. I count myself very rich in friends. Thank you.”