Many sports personalities strive to win medals which they treasure for long, however, for some, they sacrifice their hard-earned medals to help humanity.
TeamKenya reviews some of the athletes who have sacrificed their medals for a good cause.
Maria Magdalena Andrejczyk
Polish javelin thrower Maria Magdalena Andrejczyk auctioned her 2020 Olympics silver medal to help pay for an eight-month old child's heart surgery.
The Olympian decision to auction her medal to support Miłoszek Małysa, who was suffering from a serious heart defect.
The medal was bought by Żabka Polska, a Polish supermarket chain after a bid of Ksh14 million ($125,000).
Later on the Żabka Polska was so moved by her action to sell the medal, eventually deciding to return it to her.
Also read: 5 Times Harambee Stars Made Kenyans Proud
Otylia Jedrzejczak
Otylia Jedrzejczak was Poland’s first swimming champion at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games winning a gold medal in the 200 metre butterfly in Athens, Greece.
Her gold medal was sold for Ksh9 million ($80,000) with the funds being directed to a Polish charity that helps kids with leukaemia.
Before she qualified for the competition, Jedrzejczak had stated that if she won any gold medal it would be sold and the proceeds would go to a charity that supports children with leukaemia..
Wladimir Klitschko
In the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko won a gold medal for Ukraine.
16 years later in 2012, his gold medal was auctioned, earning a hefty Ksh113 million($1 million).
The money from the proceeds was given to the Klitschko Brothers Foundation that helps fund children’s sports camps and facilities.