Where Olympians Keep Their Medals
Monday, 2026/02/16172 words3 minutes537 reads
Olympic medals represent years of dedication and sacrifice. Athletes spend decades pursuing these prestigious awards, yet many champions store them in remarkably ordinary places.
Alex Hall, a slopestyle skier, keeps his 2022 gold medal beneath socks and thermal underwear. "My parents wanted me to get a safe for it, but that sounded ridiculous," he explained. Ryan Lochte, the second most decorated male swimmer in Olympic history with 12 medals, also uses a sock drawer. Christopher Mazdzer stores his 2018 silver medal alongside belts, ties, and sunglasses.
Why such casual storage? Many athletes cite modesty and accessibility. "I'm just not a showy, flashy type of person," said Matt Antoine, who keeps his bronze medal in a sock. Others view their medals as community assets meant to be shared. Tyler George, a curling gold medalist, noted that thousands of people have held his medal. "It could stay in a fancy case all our lives," he said, "but we wouldn't get to share it."
For these champions, the journey matters more than the prize itself.
