Team GB Women's relay team to receive Beijing Olympic medals at Anniversary Games
Last Updated: 19/07/18 4:48pm
Team GB Women's relay team are to receive their 2008 Olympic bronze medals at this weekend's Anniversary Games.
Christine Ohuruogu, Kelly Sotherton, Marilyn Okoro and Nicola Sanders finished fifth but Russia's Tatyana Firova and Belarus anchor runner Sviatlana Usovich were disqualified.
It took until 2016 for a reanalysis of samples to confirm doping violations, meaning the four British athletes never got to bask in the glory of a podium finish.
Now they'll be given a reception in front of the crowd at Saturday's Anniversary Games at the London Stadium.
Ohuruogu, who announced her retirement last month, said: "Hearing the news that we are to receive our bronze medals stirs up a series of emotions.
"Of course I am happy that we are finally getting the reward and recognition that our performance on the day deserved, but there is still some frustration that we never had 'our moment' at the time, and that it has taken 10 years to get to this stage."
Russia were stripped of their silver medals, with Belarus losing their third-placed bronze after the verdict. Jessica Ennis-Hill has already received reallocation of both Olympic and World Championship medals last year and Sotherton admits it's the best ending to a bad situation a decade on.
"I finally feel satisfied we got what the team deserved. To run the time we did and not medal and finish fifth was hard," Sotherton said.
"To have a podium experience 10 years on obviously isn't ideal, but I am overwhelmed that we all get to stand in an Olympic Stadium in front of a British crowd to receive something that vindicates our performance. A great outcome regardless of the delay."
The British Olympic Association is still waiting on confirmation of the amended results and reallocated medals from the women's javelin and women's heptathlon where current sanctions could see British athletes retrospectively awarded medals.
