The Hindu : Sport / Olympic Games : Hoya gets his Olympic medal back

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 03, 2007
ePaper

Sport

Sport - Olympic Games

Hoya gets his Olympic medal back

LOS ANGELES: Oscar de la Hoya had the Olympic gold medal that he won at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics returned to him on Monday by promoter Bob Arum.

The medal changed hands in the Cecilia de la Hoya Cancer Centre at White Memorial Hospital in East Los Angeles. In turn, de la Hoya presented the medal to the cancer centre, where it will be on display till the end of the year.

De La Hoya’s mother died at the hospital in 1991 and the boxer had promised his mother that he would win the Olympic gold for her.

“It started all my dreams. It made me the person I am today,” a sombre de la Hoya said. “It is chilling talking about it and thinking about it. This is a part of my heart. Now it’s complete and now I’m going to give part of my heart back to the hospital.” In 1996, de la Hoya presented the medal to Arum on his 65th birthday as a gesture of gratitude to his former promoter.

“I was appreciative, it was a wonderful gesture,” Arum said. “But, I said in front of everybody that I didn’t win this medal, he won this medal and that when he retired, I would return it to him.” — AP

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail