Back in 1984, Les O’Connell achieved the dream of every Olympic athlete when he won gold in the men’s coxless four at the Los Angeles Olympics. More than four decades later, however, he faced the heartbreaking loss of that treasured medal when burglars stole it from his Christchurch home in February 2026. Now, eight months after the theft, the New Zealand rowing legend has received a welcome update, offering some relief after months of uncertainty.

On October 23, the New Zealand Olympic Committee announced that O’Connell had received an official replacement medal after the organisation worked with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to arrange it. 

Reflecting on the support he received following the theft, O’Connell expressed gratitude to both organisations for helping find a solution. “Since the medal was stolen, I’ve been humbled by the level of support and goodwill to find a solution. I’m incredibly grateful to the NZOC and the IOC for making this possible,” he said. Despite receiving the replacement, O’Connell has not given up hope of seeing his original medal returned.

He appealed directly to anyone who might have it or know where it is, saying, “I would still love to see the original returned as it’s of no value to anyone else. If there’s someone out there who has the medal or knows something, please do the right thing and return it.”

The burglary took place while O’Connell and his wife were away in Napier attending a wedding. On the morning of February 2, their son arrived at the Christchurch property and discovered that the home had been broken into. The garage door was open, the front door was ajar, and the house had been ransacked. Police subsequently appealed for information about the incident.

A work vehicle and tools were among the items stolen, but the disappearance of the Olympic gold medal was the most distressing part of the incident. O’Connell had deliberately hidden it behind books on a shelf rather than displaying it on a wall. Despite those precautions, the burglars found the medal, while his other rowing medals were left behind. The discovery left him wondering how the thieves had located the one item he had taken care to protect.

The loss was especially painful because the medal represented an achievement that could never be repeated. O’Connell won Olympic gold alongside Shane O’Brien, Conrad Robertson and Keith Trask in the men’s coxless four at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. The crew finished first in the final with a time of 6 minutes and 3.48 seconds, securing a memorable victory for New Zealand.

Following the burglary, O’Connell also feared that the thieves might try to sell the medal, melt it down or damage it if they could not find a buyer. Speaking to 1News after the theft, he summed up the pain of losing something so closely tied to his life and career: “Everything else can be replaced. But this one can’t.”

The NZOC also welcomed the replacement, with chief executive Nicki Nicol thanking the IOC for helping restore an important part of O’Connell’s sporting legacy. “Winning an Olympic gold medal is something many athletes aspire to, but few have the honour of achieving,” Nicol said. “We’re grateful to the IOC for helping replace this special taonga for Les.”

She also recognised the lasting influence of New Zealand’s Olympic athletes, adding, “These athletes helped shape New Zealand’s sporting legacy and their achievements continue to inspire generations of New Zealanders.”

Looking ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Nicol said New Zealand would return to the city with pride, following in the footsteps of O’Connell and his teammates, who won gold there in 1984. Interestingly, O’Connell is not the first Olympic champion to receive a replacement medal after a theft. 

Percy Williams’ Olympic Gold medals stolen decades after historic win

Percy Williams made history at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics by winning gold in both the men’s 100m and 200m events. But in January 1980, Williams’ two Olympic gold medals were stolen from the BC Sports Hall of Fame in Vancouver, where he had donated his sporting memorabilia. A thief broke into the display and took 11 medals, including the two Olympic golds. Despite efforts to recover the stolen items, the original Olympic medals were never found.

More than four decades later, Williams’ family decided to pursue replacement medals. During family-history research, relatives Tracey and Brian Mead learned about the theft and contacted the Canadian Olympic Committee to ask whether replacements could be arranged. The committee subsequently worked with the International Olympic Committee, which agreed to recreate both medals using their original 1928 specifications.