By Belinda Goldsmith
LONDON Aug 9 (Reuters) – British tennis player Andy
Murray’s two dogs were photographed wearing his silver and gold
Olympic medals from the London Games.
Brazilian judoka Felipe Kitadai damaged his bronze medal
when he dropped it in the shower, getting a replacement from
London officials.
Venezuelan fencer Ruben Limardo Gascon was spotted wearing
his gold medal on the London underground.
Winning athletes walk away from the podium with their medals
around their necks but are often at a loss over what to do with
them before leaving the athletes’ village and heading home where
they can be securely stored.
South African swimmer Cameron van der Burgh who won the 100
metres men’s breaststroke, said it was hard to let his gold
medal out of his sight.
British rower Helen Glover, the first British woman to win
an Olympic rowing event with her partner Heather Stanning, said
she was sleeping with her gold medal by her pillow.
Olympians have been known to lose their medals while still
at the Games and are advised not to lose it as no insurance
comes with the hard-won gong, and gold medals at London are
valued at about $706 at current metal prices.
“Once handed over the medal becomes the responsibility of
the athletes,” said a spokesman from the London Olympics
organising committee LOCOG.
Continued…
