(ATR) More than nine years after finishing sixth in the women’s high jump at Beijing 2008, Chaunté Lowe of the United States is receiving the bronze medal in the event.
The United States Olympic Committee and USA Track & Field revealed on Tuesday that the IOC had officially upgraded Lowe.
She moved up to bronze after third-place finisher Anna Chicherova of Russia, fourth-place finisher Yelena Slesarenko of Russia, and fifth-place finisher Vita Palamar of Ukraine were disqualified in late 2016 after testing positive for banned substances in retests from Beijing.
The exhaustion of appeals took about another year but Lowe is now a bronze medalist.
"It's easy to look at this situation and think about all that was lost, but I choose to look forward to all that was gained," Lowe said in a statement.
"In the last nine years, I have met amazing new people, my husband and I have had two additional children, and all three of our kids can now understand the gravity of this moment. I am proud to have represented this country with integrity that withstood the test of time!"
This is the first Olympic medal for Lowe, who has participated in the last four Summer Games. She finished fourth in Rio de Janeiro last year. She won gold at the 2012 World Indoor Championships and is the American record holder in both the indoor and outdoor high jump.
The medal is being sent from the IOC and will be presented to Lowe in a special ceremony.
She is the latest athlete to be recognized as a medalist in the wake of retesting of samples from Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
A total of 106 athletes failed the retests with 75 being stripped of medals, according to a report released at the IOC Session in Lima in September. The IOC says that most of the medals "have been redistributed to the athletes who deserve them".
Written by Gerard Farek
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