Port of Pärnu Named as Buyer of Salumäe's Second Gold Medal
The Port of Pärnu, owned by businessman Rein Kilk, is behind the purchase of cyclist Erika Salumäe's gold medal from the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona, ending the mystery of who bought the second of her two Olympic gold medals.
Both medals will stay in Estonia, as the head of the Estonian Olympic Committee, Neinar Seli, bought the other at an auction of the cyclist's sporting memorabilia a month ago. The name of the other buyer was revealed only yesterday, ETV reported.
Each of the medals cost £25,000 (€29,000) at the Sotheby's auction in London.
Salumäe, 52, auctioned off 16 other lots, including trophies, mementos and equipment such as the bicycle from Barcelona, all the way down to her personal Olympic souvenirs. The souvenirs went for 100 euros at Sotheby's, while the bicycle was bought for 8,000 euros.
The cyclist, who currently lives in Spain and is said to be battling ill health, won golds in both Seoul and Barcelona.