Olympic shot put champion Valerie Adams has thanked her fans back home for their support after she seemed to have lost her title in London last week.
Adams, who finished second behind Belarusian Nadzeya Ostapchuk in the Olympic competition on August 6, learned last night that her rival had failed pre-event and post-competition drugs tests, and would be stripped of her gold medal.
Speaking to ONE News from her training base in Switzerland, Adams had a message for her family, friends and fans back home.
"A massive thanks to the people of New Zealand for supporting me back on the 6th of August when I won the silver and today when I won the gold medal.
"I'm very humbled by the support and I hope you can support me going forward in my career as I try to do my best for our nation."
Adams says she burst into tears when she found out that her silver medal had turned to gold, and is now just enjoying the moment.
Adams has been promoted after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced last night that Ostapchuk, 31, was excluded from competition following a positive test for metenolone.
She was driving when she got the phone call from NZ Olympic chef de mission Dave Currie and had to pull her car over to the side of the road as she was overcome with tears.
"I'm very overwhelmed," Adams told ONE News today. "I'm very, very emotional.
"I've had a very emotional last 10 days and to have this news delivered to me now - it's very emotional times.
"I'm Olympic champion now, back to back. I have to be happy with that and I totally am, I'm totally over the moon."
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Currie says the win was a "magic moment".
Currie said the news was wonderful and he is very proud of Adams.
The New Zealand Olympic Committee is now awaiting an IOC ruling before scheduling a medal presentation ceremony for Adams.
When Nick Willis was elevated to the 1500m silver medal after the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he eventually received his hardware in Wellington almost three years later - and a year after his promotion - at a ceremony specially organised for the occasion.
He was originally meant to accept his medal at an international track meet in Christchurch, but the presentation was relocated after the February 2011 earthquake in that city.
'Justice served'
NZOC president Mike Stanley says justice has been served with Adams winning gold.
Stanley said the win confirmed suspicions about Ostapchuk during the competition.
"Watching the competition and knowing the history of the Belarussian shotputter and how much she had improved over the summer, I guess there were some questions asked."
He said it was "a vindication of those concerns and of Val's status as now Olympic shotput champion".
Kereyn Smith, the New Zealand Olympic Committee Secretary General, congratulated Adams on her gold medal and says the honour is well deserved.
She added that the vast majority of New Zealand athletes are proud to compete cleanly on the world's stage.
Adams threw 20.70m in the shot put final at the Olympic Stadium on August 6 and was awarded silver behind the Belarusian who had taken gold with 21.36m. It was the first time Adams had been beaten by Ostapchuk in nearly two years.
With Adams now awarded the gold medal, the Russian Federation's Evgeniia Kolodko takes second place, while Lijiao Gong, of the People's Republic of China has been awarded the bronze medal.
Ostapchuk is the first athlete at the London Games to have been stripped of a medal.
New Zealand now sits 15th on the medal table, with six golds and 14 medals altogether.
The IOC executive board announced that it has disqualified, withdrawn the medal from, and excluded Ostapchuk from the London Olympic Games.
According to a statement released by the IOC, Ostapchuk was first requested to provide a urine sample for a doping control on August 5.
She competed the next day in the women's shot put event, where she placed first, and was asked to provide a sample straight after her competition.
Both samples indicated the presence of metenolone, which is classified as anabolic agent under the 2012 Prohibited List.
Over the course of the London Games, the IOC carried out some 5000 tests - 3800 urine and 1200 blood.
What do you think of the drug test scandal that robbed Valerie Adams of her moment of podium glory? What punishments should be dished out to drug cheats? Add your comment below.
Add a Comment:
Post new commentdeebee3 said on 2012-08-16 @ 09:38 NZDT: Report abusive post
Congrats Valerie. You have been gracious and mature with your comments since this debacle exploded. It is not Val's fault this has happened, yet this "Chuk" accuses Val of all sorts to try and justify her fall from grace. These athletes should have a lifetime ban. And the countries have a 10 year stand down if found to be involved in any way. Unfortunately this sort of thing taints all winners. You have to question every world record.. Remember Flo Jo ?
kiwi55 said on 2012-08-14 @ 20:00 NZDT: Report abusive post
Congratulations Valerie on getting the gold medal you deserve it and we are all proud of you and the way you have held your head up high despite what happened and we will look forward to when you come home and then we can truly celebrate your success Go Kiwi!
chrisd55 said on 2012-08-14 @ 19:44 NZDT: Report abusive post
Ban them permanently- history proves they can't be trusted. Feel very sorry for the 4th placegetter, now the Bronze medal winner, who missed completely on having her moment- at least Madam Adams had hers for a medal.
nippy said on 2012-08-14 @ 16:35 NZDT: Report abusive post
Well people must agree Ostapchuk does seem to have man like features