Former biathlete Gabriela Soukalová said that she will sell the additionally won bronze medal from the relay at the Olympic Games in Sochi and donate the proceeds to charity.
The former World Cup winner and two-time world champion will choose between two options, she did not want to reveal them yet. She informed journalists about the decision today in the Vysočina Arena, where she received the precious metal together with Veronika Vítková, Eva Puskarčíková and Jitka Landová.
“I thought for a long time about what I would do with the bronze medal, and after a certain period of time I came to the conclusion that I would like to sell it and donate the proceeds to charity. So that it doesn’t just stay with her, but she has some leverage in that she can help someone else to another,” said Soukalová.
The thirty-three-year-old native of Jablonec nad Nisou has been presenting her charitable work for a long time. Five years ago, she sold for 50,000 the gold medal she won in the pursuit race of the World Cup in Ruhpolding in 2014. The proceeds went through the Konto Bariéry to little Maxim, who suffers from a metabolic disorder, the so-called Mabry syndrome. It also has the Gabi Foundation, which supports people with disabilities and eating disorders.
“I don’t have a choice yet. I have two favorites, but I’ll keep it to myself,” said Soukalová, who also won silver medals in the mixed relays and the mass start race in Sochi.
The other members of the relay will keep the additional bronze medal, which they received after the disqualification of the originally second Russian women, in their collections.
