Gary Hall Jr loses 10 Olympic swimming medals in California wildfire

Former US Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr. described the "apocalyptic" devastation and personal losses he suffered in the ongoing wildfires ravaging Los Angeles.

In Short

• Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr. lost his home and medals to LA wildfires
• Wildfires forced many, including the ex-Olympic swimmer to evacuate
• Hall won 10 Olympic medals across 3 different editions, all lost to fire

Former US Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr. lost all ten of his Olympic medals, along with his home and belongings, to the devastating wildfires engulfing Los Angeles. The 50-year-old athlete told the Sydney Morning Herald that the fast-moving fires destroyed his rented home in Pacific Palisades, his ten Olympic medals, the swimming pool where he taught his children to swim, and most of his belongings. He managed to evacuate with only a few personal items and his dog.

The wildfires, which continue to devastate Southern California, have forced many residents to flee, including Hall. The Arizona native and 10-time Olympic medallist lost all his possessions, including the medals that marked his illustrious career. "It was worse than any apocalypse movie you've ever seen, and 1,000 times worse," Hall said in an article published Thursday, two days after the fires erupted.

Hall's Olympic achievements include back-to-back golds in the men's 50-meter freestyle at the 2000 (Sydney) and 2004 (Athens) Olympics. He also earned three golds in relay events at the 1996 (Atlanta) Games, along with three silvers and two bronzes across the three Olympics. Sadly, these medals, along with two world championship medals, were among the belongings consumed by the flames.

Recalling the chaos, Hall shared that the fire's rapid progression left him no time to retrieve his swim memorabilia. "I did think about the medals, but there wasn't time. Everything burned. It's something I can live without. In the end, it's just stuff. It'll take hard work to rebuild, but what can you do?" he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Hall was speaking with his daughter when the fire broke out. He described seeing neighbours fleeing for their lives, some abandoning their cars. In addition to his home, the fire destroyed the pool where he provided swim lessons, leaving him to face the loss of both his home and business.

Despite the devastation, Hall remains optimistic. "It's not just about me. My home and my business are gone, but it's time to start a new chapter. I'm fortunate that, even in chaos, I can stay calm. We were told to run for our lives," he said.

In response to his loss, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help support the Olympic champion as he begins to rebuild.