Vladimir Semirunniy, a Polish speed skater who won a silver medal in the 10,000m event at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, has donated his medal to aid children battling cancer.
According to ISU Skating, the 23-year-old athlete decided to donate his silver medal to the Polish Cancer Fighters Foundation, which is currently auctioning the medal to raise funds for children affected by cancer.
Semirunniy had experienced a mixed season leading up to the Olympics. After earning bronze in the 5000m and silver in the 10,000m at the 2025 ISU Speed Skating World Championships, his performance at early-season World Cup events was slow. Nevertheless, he regained form by setting a 10,000m track record at Thialf Stadium in Heerenveen, leading to his promotion to the World Cup A Division. He also won gold in the 5000m and silver in the 1500m during the ISU Speed Skating European Championships in Tomaszow Mazowiecki.
The inspiration to donate his medal came shortly after his Olympic success. Semirunniy, originally from Russia but representing Poland, saw this as a way to give back to his adopted country, which has provided him the opportunity to compete internationally. He became involved with the Polish Cancer Fighters Foundation following a livestream fundraising event organized by a Polish influencer, where the medal was pledged to support the foundation’s cause. The auction is ongoing, with bids currently exceeding 32,000 PLN (approximately 7,600 euros), and Semirunniy hopes it will raise even more.
This gesture follows a precedent set by Polish javelin thrower Maria Andrejczyk, who donated her silver medal from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics to fund a heart surgery for an infant, raising over 200,000 PLN. Semirunniy’s donation highlights the role athletes can play in social causes beyond their sports achievements.