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Los Angeles 1984 Olympic gold medalist Les O'Connell (OLY#483) has been presented with a replacement medal after his original was stolen in a burglary at his Christchurch home earlier this year.
O'Connell won Olympic gold in the Men's Coxless Four at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Summer Games.
Following the theft of his original medal earlier this year, the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) worked with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to secure an official replacement.
O'Connell said the support he has received since the theft meant a great deal to him and his family.
"Since the medal was stolen, I’ve been humbled by the level of support and goodwill to find a solution. I'm incredibly grateful to the NZOC and the IOC for making this possible,” said O’Connell.
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“It means a great deal for the second and third generations of my family, particularly around Olympic time, the medal normally goes on school trips, it's really valuable to show kids what you can achieve and the medal is a symbol of that.”
“The kids love handling it, they love touching it, they love putting around their neck. If that inspires someone to do something, that's good,” he said.
Despite having a replacement medal, O’Connell is still holding out hope the original will resurface one day.
“I would still love to see the original returned as it’s of no value to anyone else. If there’s someone out there who has the medal or knows something, please do the right thing and return it,” O’Connell said.
NZOC CEO, Nicki Nicol, said she was pleased a replacement was sourced for O’Connell and his family.
"Winning an Olympic gold medal is something many athletes aspire to, but few have the honour of achieving. We're grateful to the IOC for helping replace this special taonga for Les,” said Nicol.
“These athletes helped shape New Zealand's sporting legacy and their achievements continue to inspire generations of New Zealanders. As we head back to Los Angeles in 2028, we do so with pride, following in the footsteps of what Les and his crew achieved there in 1984," she said.
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