Olympic torch carried by Caitlyn Jenner up for auction

CHICAGO, United States – An Olympic torch carried by decathlon champion Bruce Jenner – now known as Caitlyn – ahead of the 1984 Summer Games will go under the hammer this month, auctioneers said Tuesday, July 7.

It is the first major piece of Jenner memorabilia to hit the market since Jenner – the winner of the 1976 decathlon gold medal – made her public coming-out as a transgender woman, revealing a new name and look in early June.

“We expect collectors will find it every bit as significant as we think it is,” said Chris Ivy, Director of Sports Auctions at Heritage, which estimated the torch will sell for more than $20,000.

Jenner became an American sports hero by setting a decathlon world record in the 1976 Games.

Leveraging his fame, he appeared on boxes of Wheaties, a popular American cereal known as “the breakfast of champions,” and then tried his hand as a movie actor, with less than stellar results.

Jenner once again became a household name through the popular reality TV series Keeping Up with the Kardashians, appearing as the paterfamilias through a now-ended marriage to Kris Kardashian.

Jenner was invited by a Lake Tahoe resort to carry the torch across the border from Nevada to California ahead of the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

Jenner told a journalist from People Magazine at the time: “I can’t stand running. And anyway I know people will laugh at me when they see my knees. But it’s for a good cause, so I’ll do it.” 

An online auction for the torch had a bid of $5,500 on Tuesday afternoon. It will also be presented at a live auction on July 30 at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago. – Rappler.com