Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte, who has won 12 medals overall, is auctioning off half of them to a kids’ charity.
The 37-year-old swimmer superstar earned 12 medals over four Olympics, including six gold that he plans to keep for now. Lochte also put up for sale his 14-karat white gold Olympic ring and a Breitling watch with black diamonds, both of which he bought for himself at the London Games in 2012.
All six of Lochte’s silver and bronze medals are up for auction through July 21, according to ESPN. The Jorge Nation Foundation is a nonprofit organization that “raises money to send children with terminal illnesses and their families on a dream journey from South Florida to a destination of their choice.” The Jorge Nation Foundation will receive the revenues.
From his vacation in Mexico, Lochte told The Associated Press over the phone on Sunday, “I’m not one to be all sentimental about medals,” he said. “My medals are just sitting in my closet collecting dust. The memories that I have is what means the most.”
As the medals are being sold through the Boston-based RR Auction, Lochte confirmed that he is not the direct seller and that he supplied the medals to a third party. All six medals are believed to be worth a total of $82,000.
RR Auction executive vice president Bobby Livingston said, “They’re in perfect condition. They have beautiful ribbons,” noting that the medals were cosigned by someone who wishes to remain anonymous. “Ryan’s are obviously extremely interesting to people who collect medals.”
“This year I really wanted to focus on giving back. I’m loving it,” Lochte said. “I’ve been teaming with my dad doing swim clinics and I’m coming out with my own sunscreen.”
Lochte has left off the Olympic team for Tokyo 2020. Though he will preserve his first gold as an individual and another for his father, Steve, he admitted that he has thought about giving away his gold medals at some point in the future.
“Those medals mean a lot to me; I worked my [rear] off for them, but helping other people out is more important to me, especially because I have kids of my own,” Lochte said.
Lochte’s 12 Olympic medals are tied for second-most among swimmers, behind Michael Phelps’ record of 28.
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Sources: Dailywire, Yahoo, Washingtonpost