Olympic medals, those gleaming symbols of unparalleled athletic achievement, are among the most fiercely pursued accolades in the world of sports. For countless athletes, they represent the culmination of decades of rigorous training, sacrifice, and unwavering dedication, secured only by the absolute elite.
Given the immense effort and emotional investment involved—the sweat, the tears, the triumph, the sheer glory—you might expect these precious tokens to be displayed in grand, custom-built cases. Yet, the surprising reality is that many of these glittering prizes find their final resting place in an altogether humble, even unremarkable, location: a sock drawer.
Take Alex Hall, for example, the 27-year-old slopestyle skier who clinched gold at the 2022 Games. “My parents wanted me to get a safe for it, but that sounded ridiculous,” he confessed, revealing that his coveted medal resides under a stack of socks and thermal underwear. “It hasn’t seen sunlight in a long time,” he added, noting that he now needs to make room for a newly acquired silver.
This casual approach isn’t uncommon among sporting legends. Mikaela Shiffrin, widely regarded as one of history’s greatest Alpine skiers with three Olympic medals to her name, is also a proud ‘sock drawer person.’ The same goes for Ryan Lochte, whose impressive collection of 12 medals—making him the second most decorated swimmer in Olympic history—often shares space with everyday items. Luge athlete Christopher Mazdzer, for instance, keeps his 2018 silver medal nestled in an IKEA dresser drawer, alongside not just socks, but also belts and ties.
“I even have some sunglasses in there,” Mazdzer chuckled, highlighting the informal nature of his prized possession’s storage.
For new Olympians currently celebrating their victories in Italy, the idea of their newly acquired medals ending up in a sock drawer seems almost unthinkable. American figure skater Danny O’Shea, for instance, visibly amused when asked about the whereabouts of his recent team event gold, declared:
“Around my neck for as long as possible!”
Yet, as the initial euphoria subsides and time rolls on, this fierce attachment often evolves into a surprising sense of nonchalance.
“Every Olympian’s childhood dream is to stand on that podium, with a medal draped around their neck,” explained Chris Fogt, a bobsledding silver medalist from the 2014 Games. “But once you have it, and you mature a bit, you realize the journey itself often holds more significance than the physical prize.”
Beyond the sock drawer, other common, unceremonious spots include cluttered desks or ‘junk’ drawers. Former bobsledder Valerie Fleming, for example, keeps her 2006 silver medal either in a kitchen drawer or her nightstand. Chris Fogt shares this preference, also opting for a nightstand.
These rather unglamorous storage choices are often attributed to practicality, a touch of laziness, or simply a desire for modesty. Unlike some wealthier, more globally recognized professional athletes, many Olympians lack either the inclination or the resources to construct elaborate trophy rooms or personal shrines to their accomplishments.
“I’m just not a showy, flashy type of person,” remarked Matt Antoine, a skeleton racer whose 2014 Olympic bronze medal is ‘squirreled away’ in a closet sock drawer.
Amusingly, his medal now boasts a custom pouch, lovingly crafted by his mother—a significant upgrade from its initial, less refined, storage solution: an actual sock.
He’s not alone in this peculiar habit. Oksana Masters, an incredible Paralympian with 19 medals, and Jack Wallace, a two-time Paralympic hockey gold medalist, both also use socks for medal storage.
Cross-country skier Jessie Diggins, who recently earned a bronze medal in the 10-kilometer freestyle event, stores her prior three Olympic medals in a hat at her parents’ house. She noted they are ‘scuffed and scratched’ from frequently letting children handle them.
This practice highlights another common underlying reason for such informal storage: many Olympians view their medals not as personal trophies, but as communal treasures meant to be shared and enjoyed. A sock drawer, after all, is always accessible.
“It could stay in a fancy case its whole life and remain in pristine condition,” mused Tyler George, a 2018 curling gold medalist. “But then we wouldn’t be able to share it with the literally thousands of people who get to see, hold, and even wear it.”
However, some past adherents of the ‘sock drawer’ method have had a change of heart.
Ryan Lochte, for instance, recently sold three of his medals, explaining that he “never swam for the gold medals” and considered them merely a “cherry on top” of his illustrious swimming career.
Figure skater Mirai Nagasu, a 2018 bronze medalist, decided to alter her approach last summer after a period of “self-reflection.”
Nagasu recounted how seeing the memorabilia of two-time figure skating medalist Michelle Kwan at her childhood rink had deeply inspired her. Motivated by this, she generously donated her own medal to the Skating Club of Boston, hoping to ignite a similar spark in aspiring young skaters.
Could more Olympians eventually free their medals from their humble hiding spots? Matt Antoine noted that his wife occasionally urges him to display his medal more prominently at home.
“So maybe there’s a point when I’ll put it out there a little more, show it off a bit,” he conceded.
Ashley Caldwell and her husband, Justin Schoenefeld, both gold medalists in mixed team aerial skiing at the 2022 Games, initially thought about custom display cases. However, as often happens, the idea faded with time.
Ultimately, the nightstands flanking their bed became the chosen, perfectly suitable resting spots for their precious medals.
“We sleep between two Olympic gold medals,” Caldwell proudly stated. “It feels pretty good.”