The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 plus 2 letter word RUNNER UP
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
R
U
N
N
E
R
U
P
More clues leading to the result RUNNER UP
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "silver medallist" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case silver medallist = runner up.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does RUNNER UP mean?
RUNNER UP noun- The person who finishes second, or in any position after the first.
- Second favorite.