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3w ago

Gary Hall Jr. Receives Unprecedented Olympic Medal Replacements After LA Fires

The swimmer, who lost all 10 of his Olympic medals in January's wildfires, was honored in a unique IOC ceremony in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Image
US swimmer Gary Hall Jr. (L) poses wearing the replica Olympic medals that the IOC president to him during a handover ceremony after the originals were destroyed with his house in the Los Angeles wildfires earlier this year, at the Olympic House in Lausanne on May 5, 2025.
IOC President Thomas Bach presents American swimmer Gary Hall Jr. replicas of his ten Olympic medals that he lost during the wildfires in Los Angeles that destroyed his home earlier this year during a ceremony at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland, May 5, 2025. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/Pool
IOC President Thomas Bach presents American swimmer Gary Hall Jr. replicas of his ten Olympic medals that he lost during the wildfires in Los Angeles that destroyed his home earlier this year during a ceremony at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland, May 5, 2025. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/Pool

Overview

  • Gary Hall Jr., a three-time Olympian, received replicas of his 10 Olympic medals lost in the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires.
  • The International Olympic Committee (IOC) presented the medals during a private ceremony at its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, led by President Thomas Bach.
  • This marks the first time the IOC has replaced such a significant number of medals for a single athlete, highlighting solidarity within the Olympic community.
  • Hall, who evacuated his Pacific Palisades home with only his dog and insulin, reflected on resilience and the value of relationships over material possessions.
  • The devastating wildfires, which killed at least 29 people and displaced tens of thousands, have underscored the challenges facing Los Angeles as it prepares to host the 2028 Summer Olympics.