Thursday, Jul. 24, 2008
65. Otylia Jedrzejczak
Swimming
Poland
Age:24
She no longer clings to material possessions. The 2004 Olympic Champion at 200m butterfly offered her gold medal for auction and donated the earnings ($85,000) to a Polish Hematology and Oncology Clinic. After a yearlong career break following a tragic car accident in which her 19 year-old brother was killed and Jedrzejczak was injured, she returned to the pool in 2006. On December 13, 2007, her 24th birthday, she broke the world record in the 200 fly. While her results at the European Championship this year weren't the best due to health problems, the swimmer is hoping for another comeback in Beijing."