Our youngest son Brady did something like this during his freshman year on the swim team at Detroit Catholic Central High School. It was the Detroit Catholic League Championship -- and a senior on the team had swum a relay leg for Catholic Central in the prelim heat -- only to see Brady take his spot on the relay team in the Championship final.
This senior had been dealing with the failing health of his Dad -- who was dying from cancer -- all season long.
Well Brady's relay team won the 400 Free Relay in the Catholic Championship Final -- his first high school "gold medal" -- I remember when we got home I asked "where's your medal?"
He replied -- "I gave it to ____ (this was the senior, whom he swam for in the Final) -- he deserved to have this, I know he wanted to give it to his Dad. I'll have more opportunities in the future..."
A very proud moment for this Dad.