A century on from his maternal grandfather’s gold medal, a visibly touched Prince Albert II of Monaco has commemorated his family’s Olympic legacy by presenting the 2024 winners of the rowing double sculls with their prizes.
On Friday 2nd August, Prince Albert was honoured with the task of handing out the Olympic gold, silver and bronze medals for the men’s rowing double sculls at a prize giving ceremony at the Vaires-sur-Marne water sports stadium.
As he placed the medals around the necks of the victorious Romanian team, headed up by Andrei Cornea and Marian Enache, the pride in which Monaco’s sovereign took in participating in the event was clear for all to see, with a warm and heartfelt smile brightening his face.
It is 100 years exactly since John B. Kelly, the father of Prince Albert’s mother, Princess Grace, won gold with his partner, Paul Costello, in the very same discipline during the 1924 Olympics in France.
It was his third gold, making Kelly the first rower to ever win three Olympic gold medals in the sport.
HONOURING JOHN B. KELLY
Following the ceremony, the Prince was invited to a reception organised by the International Rowing Federation in honour of his grandfather and his lasting legacy within the rowing community.
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach also attended the event alongside the president of the World Rowing Federation, Jean-Christophe Rolland, and several of Prince Albert’s extended family members.
“I was very honoured to present these medals,” the Prince later said in comments to the French press. “With my cousins from Philadelphia and my close friends, we thought of my grandfather. 100 ago, not quite on the same pool, but almost to the day, he won his third gold medal… My maternal grandfather was an extraordinary athlete, but he also had this beautiful vision of what the world should be, thanks also to sport. We were very happy to pay tribute to him.”
Monaco Life is produced by real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.
Photo credit: Palais Princier de Monaco