It wasn’t the homecoming Logan Stieber had in mind when he returned from Budapest on Monday after winning his first world championship.
The 26-year-old Ohio native had only just landed in Columbus when he discovered the gold medal he’d won by defeating Georgia’s Beka Lomtadze in Saturday’s 61kg final had been stolen.
Stieber sent out a tweet on Monday night saying that his girlfriend’s car window had been broken and a black backpack containing his medal, belt, passport, iPad, keys and headphones was stolen while they were at dinner.
The Columbus police department issued a bulletin, while USA Wrestling called for people to spread the word and share any details about missing items’ whereabouts.
The good news: Stieber confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that his backpack was found with the medal and belt inside.
A Christmas miracle! My bag was found with only a few things missing. Belt and medal were still there pic.twitter.com/fyZQhg9fpO
— Logan Stieber (@_LogieBear_) December 13, 2016
“Thank you to everyone looking and helping me out,” Stieber tweeted. “Really awesome response to a bad situation.”
In 2015, Stieber became only the fourth wrestler in NCAA history to capture four national championships when he won the 141lb division to lead the Buckeyes to their first ever team national title. He finished his senior season at Ohio State with 119 career victories and was awarded the Hodge Trophy, college wrestling’s top individual honor.
He was among the favorites to make the US Olympic team at April’s trials after a runner-up finish in 2012, but lost to Penn State alum Frank Molinaro in the 65kg semi-finals before falling to former Illinois wrestler Jimmy Kennedy in the consolation bracket.
Last week in Hungary, Stieber capped his first senior world championships with a first-place finish by winning 8-4 over Lomtadze on Saturday after seeing off three high-ranked opponents in the morning session.
Stieber was the lone American wrestler to win a gold medal at this year’s worlds.
