Medalist

n.capable, joyfulprofessional

What it means

A person who has earned a medal in recognition of achievement.

Reach for it when identifying an award recipient without implying which medal or level unless stated

The medalist thanked the training partners who had supported her return.

everyday
medal winner
when plain language matters more than compactness
not when The phrase may imply first place even when the medal was silver or bronze.
warm
champion
when the person won the highest competitive place
not when Champion is wrong for most silver and bronze medalists.
professional
award winner
when the specific form of recognition is not important
not when Awards include certificates, prizes, and honors that are not medals.
professional
podium finisher
when placing among the top competitors is the exact fact
not when Not every medal event uses a podium, and some medals honor service rather than rank.
professional
recipient
when neutral focus belongs on receiving an honor
not when Recipient does not establish achievement or the nature of the award.
formal
decorated competitor
when repeated competitive honors matter
not when Decorated can be confused with military recognition and overstates a single medal.
formal
honoree
when someone is formally recognized by an institution or event
not when An honoree may receive recognition without winning a competition.
formal
prizewinner
when a judged prize rather than a medal is the relevant distinction
not when Prizewinner can imply money or a contest with no medal.

gold medalist
The gold medalist invited the youngest finalists onto the track.
Olympic medalist
An Olympic medalist led the clinic on safe sprint technique.
multiple medalist
The multiple medalist credited the team's careful recovery plan.

Medalist names an objective award status; avoid champion unless the person actually won first place.

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.