The Olympic medals of swimmer Gary Hall Jr., lost during the Los Angeles fires, will be replaced, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach assured Sunday. Gary Hall Jr. is one of the many people who had to urgently evacuate the upscale neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, ravaged by one of the fires that have hit Los Angeles since Tuesday, and left at least 16 dead.
Hall Jr. said he fled with only his dog, the insulin he needs to treat his diabetes, a painting of his grandfather and a religious object, leaving behind the 10 medals he had won in three editions of the Games between 1996 and 2004 (5 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze).
“I was bombarded with embers during my evacuation“, he told the Los Angeles Times. Thomas Bach announced on X that Hall would receive a replica of his medals. “We express our solidarity with the citizens of Los Angeles and our admiration for the work of the firefighters and security forces“, added Mr. Bach. The next Summer Olympics are due to take place in Los Angeles in 2028.
