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Workforce USA receives numerous {hardware} every time the summer season and winter Olympics are performed — however what occurs to their gold, silver and bronze medals as soon as they return residence?
Michael Phelps revealed in September 2016 that he doesn’t “ever journey” along with his medals, which embody 23 gold, three silver and two bronze, totaling 28 trophies.
The best swimmer in Olympic historical past instructed tv host Ellen DeGeneres on the time, “I’ve in all probability seen all of them collectively perhaps twice.” Phelps performed coy about the place his medals are housed, including, “I don’t convey them out typically.”
Jordan Chiles, in the meantime, left her {hardware} within the fingers of her mother and father. The gymnast received a silver medal on the 2020 Tokyo Video games and a gold and bronze on the 2024 Paris Olympics, however all of them keep at her mother and pa’s place.
Scroll right down to see the place a few of Workforce USA retains their Olympic medals — and why many decide the sock drawer:
Ryan Lochte

Forward of the 2012 London Video games, Lochte instructed the Today Show that his trophies are “in a sock drawer.” He added, “I feel that’s the place all my Olympic medals are.”
Lochte earned 12 medals throughout his time as a swimmer, six gold, three silver and three bronze.
Abby Wambach
The soccer star received two gold medals with Workforce USA, one through the 2004 Athens Video games and one through the 2012 Summer season Olympics in London. Wambach instructed the At present Present in July 2012 that she too retains her trophies in “my sock drawer.”
Brenda Villa
The water polo participant, who has 4 medals from 4 completely different Olympic Video games, agreed with each Lochte and Wambach, telling the outlet, “Your socks are comfortable they usually’ll preserve your medals protected.” Villa took residence the gold with the remainder of Workforce USA’s water polo crew in 2012, and he or she had scored two silvers and a bronze in earlier Olympics.
Betsey Armstrong

Armstrong instructed the At present Present that very same yr that her 2008 Beijing Video games silver medal and her 2012 gold medal for water polo are additionally safely in her room. “I don’t preserve it in my sock drawer,” she teased. “I preserve it inside a sock so it doesn’t get rusted or tarnished or messy.”
Mariel Zagunis
The four-time Olympian, who’s probably the most embellished athlete within the historical past of U.S. fencing, instructed the At present Present her medals are cozy “in a drawer, however not the drawer with my socks.”
Natalie Coughlin

The previous skilled swimmer instructed At present in July 2012, “I’ve 11 Olympic medals. They had been in my sock drawer after which my father determined that wasn’t protected sufficient, so he bought me a protected.” (Her complete is 12, after including a bronze in 4x100m freestyle through the London Video games.)
Christie Rampone
“I preserve my medals in my pots and pans in my kitchen,” the three-time Olympic gold medalist instructed the At present Present in July 2012. “I determine, ‘Who’s gonna look within the kitchen.’”
Michael Phelps

Phelps hinted at his hiding spot for his medals throughout a September 2016 look on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, revealing, “They’re in a secret place the place in all probability two folks on the planet know the place they’re.”
Jordan Chiles
“So not too long ago I simply purchased a home for my mother and father,” the gymnast instructed NBC Los Angeles forward of the 2024 Paris Olympics. “My mother determined to place a protected chest with memorabilia — ever since I began gymnastics to the place I’m now. So these medals are in a pleasant protected field.”
Adeline Grey
The feminine wrestler made her Olympic debut on the 2016 Rio Video games, however it wasn’t till the 2020 Tokyo Video games that she received her first medal. “Proper now a few my medals are on the Olympic Museum in Colorado Springs,” she instructed NBC in July 2024, referring to all her championships, together with her silver Olympic medal. “However a few them are in my closet and some in a jewellery drawer.”
Oksana Masters

The 17-time paralympic medalist instructed the community in July 2024 that her medals “are in socks” at her home. “I like socks. Enjoyable reality,” Masters, who has competed in para-Nordic snowboarding, para-biathlon, para-cycling and para-rowing, received seven golds, seven silver and three bronze heading into the 2024 occasions.
Katie Moon
The pole vaulter received her first gold medal on the Tokyo Olympics and hasn’t stopped observing her accomplishment since. “Often, I simply set it proper on my dresser,” Moon revealed throughout a July 2024 interview with NBC. “So I stroll previous it daily after I stand up. It’s a pleasant reminder of a reasonably cool second.”
Ashleigh Johnson

“I preserve my gold medals at my mother’s home in a trophy case that additionally has the swimming participation ribbons that we received as a household after I was rising up,” the two-time water polo gold medalist laughed, telling NBC, “It’s among the many household treasures.” (Johnson returned as a part of Workforce USA’s ladies’s water polo crew for the 2024 Paris Video games.)
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