Gary Hall Jr to receive new Olympic medals to replace his lost in LA fires
2025-01-13
Category: sports

Former United States Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr will receive a new set of medals after his were destroyed in the Los Angeles wildfires, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach has confirmed.Three-time Olympian Hall had to evacuate from his home in Pacific Palisades last week as fire swept through the neighbourhood.He said he fled taking only his dog, the insulin he uses to treat his diabetes, a painting of his grandfather, and a religious artifact.The 50-year-old was unable to return to the house to get the five gold, three silver and two bronze medals he won at Olympic Games from 1996-2004."I was getting pelted by embers on that first run," Hall told the Los Angeles Times. "So I grabbed my dog and some dog food, and that was it."Could I have stayed 30 seconds longer and maybe got the medals? I wasn't willing to take that risk."Bach said in a post on X that Hall will be given replica medals."We are in full solidarity with the citizens of Los Angeles and full of admiration for the tireless work of the firefighters and the security forces," he said."Currently the full focus must be on the fight against the fires and the protection of the people and property."We have also learned that a great Olympian, Gary Hall Jr has lost his medals in the fire. The IOC will provide him with replicas."
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers' coach Tyronn Lue said it was a "difficult" time as his side prepared to return to action on Monday.Hi side are set to host the Miami Heat while the Los Angeles Lakers are at home to the San Antonio Spurs.The NBA had postponed the Lakers' game against the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday and called off Lakers and Clippers home games on Saturday saying they did not want to divert resources from the wildfire response.JJ Redick, coach of the Lakers, was among those whose houses were destroyed in the Palisades fire."People are losing their homes, people are losing schools, losing lives," said Lue. "It's very difficult to focus in on basketball because life is bigger than basketball."He was also asked if he thought playing on Monday was the right call with the death toll from the fires now at 24 and three wildfires still burning in the LA area. An evacuation order affecting more than 100,000 people is still in place with high winds forecast for the area over the coming days."It's above my pay grade," Lue said. "I think the NBA, they have a good handle on things that's going on and what they need to do. So they make the decision."They know we're going through a tough time right now in the state of California and they understand that."Hopefully we can bring some kind of joy with the game coming back tomorrow," he added, "[we can] try to put some smiles on people's faces in tough times."