Kelly Sotherton collects Beijing heptathlon bronze 10 years late
By Shona Duthie
Last Updated: 13/09/18 10:07pm
Former British heptathlete Kelly Sotherton has received her bronze medal from Beijing - 10 years after the Olympics.
Sotherton finished fifth in Beijing but moved up after Ukraine's Liudmyla Blonska and Russian Tatiana Chernova were disqualified for doping, the latter only last year after a sample was re-tested.
Thursday's ceremony was the second time a Beijing medal has been handed retrospectively to Sotherton, who collected her relay bronze last year after Chernova's disqualification.
"I have mixed emotions, but I have more happy tears than sad tears," Sotherton told Sky Sports News. "I think I am channelling my inner Beijing from 10 years ago, how I would have felt receiving it.
"I was going for gold there. I was fifth, then fourth, now have a bronze. But I would have still have been happy to come away with an Olympic medal because they are hard to come by. It's bittersweet but more sweet right now."
Russia could be reinstated back into the Olympics after being banned from attending in Rio 2016 which will be revealed later this month.
And when asked whether they should, she said: "If they tick every box and show remorse towards the consequences of their actions, then yes.
"If they don't tick every box, I think they need to put their hands up and say: 'Yeah we have done this, we weren't as good as everyone else.'
"I don't think they will tick every box. But when you are caught taking drugs, it is a positive test and you are banned for two-four years and you are continually tested in that period of time to ensure you are still not using.
"Hopefully, if they are reinstated, that is what WADA will keep doing with Russia."
Sotherton also won heptathlon bronze in Athens in 2004.
