Caitlyn Jenner Wears Olympic Medal on Cover of Sports Illustrated 40 Years Later

Caitlyn Jenner proudly poses on the cover of Sports Illustrated wearing the gold medal she won for the decathlon at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, and it’s the first time she’s worn it in 40 years. Inside the mag, the athlete opens up about donning the hardware again.

“It’s a picture that brings attention to this issue,” she explained. “That’s the important thing. That’s why I wore the medal.” The 66-year-old adds that while she’s proud of her past achievements, it’s what she’s doing today that’s leaving a true mark on the world.

“Sports. It’s not real life. You go out there, you work hard, you train your ass off, win the Games. I’m very proud of that part of my life. And it’s not like I just want to throw it out. It’s part of who I am,” she said. “What I’m dealing with now, this is about who you are as a human being. What did I do for the world in 1976, besides maybe getting a few people to exercise a little bit? I didn’t make a difference in the world.”

The former Olympian also admitted that at the time of the Games, she hated her body. “It disgusted me. I was big and thick and masculine. The rest of the world thought it was this Greek god kind of body. I hated it,” she said. “But it’s what I was given, so I just tried to do the best I could with it.”

Caitlyn also got candid about Bruce. “I loved Bruce. … I still love him today,” she confessed. “I like what he did and the way he set an example for hard work and dedication. I’m proud of that part of my life. But this woman was living inside me all my life, and it reached the point where I had to let her live and put Bruce inside. And I am happier, these last 12 months, than I’ve ever been in my life.”

Check out the video to find out the surprising place Caitlyn keeps her gold medal, and tune in to The Insider With Yahoo on TV tonight for the latest in entertainment news.