Athlete sells Rio Olympics silver medal to help 3-year-old cancer patient

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

8 years ago

Germany’s gold medal winner Christoph Harting poses with Poland’s silver medal winner Piotr Malachowski after the men’s discus throw final during the athletics competitions in the Olympic stadium of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016. (Matt Slocum/AP)

WARSAW, Poland — Polish discus thrower Piotr Malachowski has sold the silver medal he won at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics to help pay for the medication of a 3-year-old boy suffering from eye cancer.

Malachowski said on Facebook that siblings Dominika and Sebastian Kulczyk, among the richest Poles, “declared the intention to buy my silver medal,” which he put up for auction to help pay for treatment of the boy, Olek, who is suffering from retinoblastoma.

Malachowski did not reveal the amount raised, but said the target — which was almost 500,000 zlotys ($130,000) — has been met.

“My silver medal is worth much more today than it was a week ago,” Malachowski said.