Tokyo Olympian Maria Andrejczyk puts medal up for sale to save sick child's life

Emotional Maria Andrejczyk on the Tokyo podium. Photo.Getty Images

A Polish Olympian put her Tokyo silver medal up for sale to save the life of a kid who needs a $250,000 heart operation.

Maria Andrejczyk, aged 25, had to overcome bone cancer to resurrect her javelin career, after failing by 2cm to land a medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

It led to an emotional scene as she stood on the podium in Japan, after which she sought a cause to support from social media followers.

"The true value of a medal always remains in the heart," she told Polish TV, according to The Times.

"A medal is only an object, but it can be of great value to others. This silver can save lives, instead of collecting dust in a closet.

"That is why I decided to auction it to help sick children."

A wee Polish kid named Miloszek needs the surgery in America.

Emotional Maria Andrejczyk on the Tokyo podium. Photo.Getty Images

On Facebook, the athlete wrote: "Miloszek has a serious heart defect, he needs an operation.

"He already has a head start from Kubus – a boy who didn't make it in time but whose amazing parents decided to pass on the funds they collected.

"And in this way, I also want to help. It's for him that I am auctioning my Olympic silver medal."

It led to another medal ceremony of sorts for Andrejczyk. A chain store won the auction and told her she could keep the medal.

"We were moved by the beautiful and extremely noble gesture of our Olympian," a spokesperson said.

The Times reported her compatriot Piotr Malachowksi sold his discus silver medal from Rio to cover a boy's eye cancer surgery.

Ukrainian boxing great Wladimir Klitschko raised $1m for children's charities in 2012 by selling his 1996 Atlanta gold medal, which he won by beating Tonga's Paea Wolfgramm in the superheavyweight final. The buyer, a philanthropist, also gave Klitschko his medal back.