What if you spent years chasing a dream that had you pushing past pain, setbacks, and doubt but only to have the symbol of that triumph suffer a small but irreversible imperfection? Would you trade it for a flawless replacement, knowing it wouldn’t be the exact one you stood on the podium with? Or would you hold on to it, scars and all, because every mark tells a story? That’s the decision Hunter Woodhall now faces. A five-time Paralympic medalist, Woodhall’s Paris 2024 gold came with all the emotion of victory but now faces an unexpected dilemma.

The Paralympic gold medalist took immense pride in his Paris 2024 victory, but a simple mistake last year turned into a lasting problem. Wrapping the ribbon around the medal seemed harmless at the time, but the sharp edges tore into the fabric, leaving an irreversible mark with the consequence of losing a medal. Hunter Woodhall took to Instagram today, sharing his heartfelt thoughts in a reel.

“I need you guys’ opinion on something. As you might have seen, I accidentally tore the ribbon on my medal from Paris. We reached out, and they said they’d fix the ribbon,” he shared. But there was a catch. “The only problem is, you can’t remove the ribbon without damaging the medal. So I now have two options—I can send this medal back, and they can send me a new one with a fixed ribbon, but it will be a different medal,” he explained.

For Hunter Woodhall, this isn’t just any medal, as it is the first Paralympic gold of his life, so the decision has more to do with practicality and sentiment too. Woodhall then reflected on the significance of keeping the original. “Or do I keep the original medal, fix the strap, sew it or whatever, and have a story that goes along with the dings and dents? We really can’t decide……..kept the old one?”

Making a decision, for Woodhall can be a difficult one especially memories attached to it. When Woodhall stormed to victory, he ran straight into the stands, handing Tara his bib in a moment that made Paris 2024 unforgettable. Just weeks before his triumph, Tara had claimed gold in the women’s long jump at the same Stade de France, making them the most iconic Olympic-Paralympic couple in the world.

The emotional weight of the decision was clear. “But this is the one I stood on the podium with… so I’m asking for your opinion.” Fans flooded his comments with advice, urging him to hold on to the original—flaws and all. And it seems Woodhall has made his choice. In his latest Instagram story, he shared: “Gonna go get it sewed up tomorrow. Staying around for good.” And in the very next story, he wrote, “Y’all right for sure. What’s it for without some character? Gonna find a tailor tomorrow.”

Anyone can’t fault Woodhall for his initial hesitation. Even the greatest athletes in history have shown special care for their medals, guarding them as more than just metal and ribbon—they are tangible proof of sacrifice, resilience, and the moments that define them.

It’s not just Hunter Woodhall

For the world’s greatest athletes, medals are not just symbols of victory—they are deeply personal treasures. Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history with 7 Olympic golds, last year reclaimed her Olympic all-around title in Paris, becoming the first woman to win multiple Olympic all-around gold medals since 1968. What does a medal mean to her? “Personally, tonight(Paris 2024), it means the world to me,” she said. But where does she keep her medals? Not on display. “After Rio 2016, I told Rach that I actually keep them locked in a safe,” Biles revealed to Rachel Show in 2021. 

Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time with 23 golds and 28 total medals, takes even more precautions. He’s famously secretive about their location. “They’re in a secret spot that not many people in the world know exactly where they all are,” he said to the NBC CT in 2016 after the Rio Olympics. Even he doesn’t look at them often. “This morning when I woke up, I looked at all of them from this Olympics,” Phelps admitted after winning six medals in Rio. “It will be cool to see 28 of ’em together, that’s for sure.” 

Even Hunter Woodhall’s wife, Tara Davis-Woodhall, has a special connection with her medal and even nicknamed it “Philippe” and has accompanied her on the go. On February 1st, the long jump gold medalist posted a picture on Instagram from her tour, and guess what? ‘Phillippe’ was there. The post read, “Life is all about the side quests… I’m sure Phillipe has moved over it.” It was definitely a hilarious way to show how her medal is her travel pal!

We can’t fault her for cherishing it so much. In the end, medals are more than just metal and ribbon—they carry the weight of the journey, the sacrifices, and the unforgettable moments that define an athlete’s career. For Hunter and Tara, their golds aren’t just trophies but cherished companions, each with a story to tell.