Touching VIDEO: Police recover stolen gold medal of Hungarian Olympic champion

As we reported back in September, Olympic champion László Csongrádi’s gold medal, won in 1988 in Seoul, was stolen during a home robbery. However, in a heartwarming turn of events, Hungarian Olympic fencer László Csongrádi has been reunited with his stolen gold medal. The prized possession, awarded at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, was returned to the champion after an extensive police investigation. Watch the poignant moment in the video below.  

Back in September, burglars broke into Mr. Csongrádi’s family home while he was asleep. Among the items stolen was his Olympic gold medal—an emblem of his sporting triumph. The thieves reportedly intended to sell the medal, believing it to be of high monetary value.

Mr Csongrádi was a key contributor to Hungary’s gold medal in team fencing at the Seoul Olympics, stepping in as a reserve after team member György Nébald sustained an injury. Together with teammates Imre Bujdosó, Imre Gedővári, and Bence Szabó, they defeated the Soviet Union with a score of 4:8, securing a glorious victory for their nation.

The thieves may have mistakenly believed they had struck gold—quite literally—by stealing the medal. However, Olympic gold medals are not made entirely of gold; only their coating is, meaning their market value is relatively modest. Yet for Mr Csongrádi, its sentimental worth is incalculable. “I just wanted my gold medal back,” he said during the ordeal.

Gold medal found at metal merchant

According to Blikk, Mr. Csongrádi resides in Budapest’s 15th District. The investigation led the police to 46-year-old Roland K., who was found responsible for not only this robbery but also a spree of 21 burglaries between March and October. His haul included bicycles, tyres, cash, a china set, a coffee maker, and even a drill.

The gold medal, sold to a scrap metal dealer, was fortunately recovered by police. Roland K. is now in custody, facing charges for his extensive criminal activity.

Lieutenant Colonel Gábor Molnár personally returned the medal to Mr Csongrádi. The Olympian was visibly moved, shedding a tear as he held the medal once again. Unfortunately, the ribbon attached to the medal had been lost.

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