Nigerian’s Usman bags medal 9 years after Beijing Olympics
N@josh_flexy
igerian Olympian, Maryam Usman has been awarded a bronze medal which she won at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The weightlifter came fourth at the weightlifting event of the games but was awarded the bronze medal 9 years later after Korobka Olha was stripped of her medal.
The 26-year-old Ukrainian won silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the over 75 kilogram category but went on to fail a doping test after the Games.
Usman, a four-time African champion and gold medalist at the Commonwealth Games was given her medal at a ceremony at the Abuja National Stadium yesterday.
The three-time Olympian told Daily Trust that it was a great feeling getting justice after several years.
“An Olympic medal always has an excitement attached to it,” she said. “It [the medal] is a motivation to me.”
She added that: “I will like to encourage other athletes to keep it clean.”
Minister of Youths and Sport, Solomon Dalung who expressed joy over the development, said justice would always be served. He expressed optimism that Nigeria may get more medals when the Rio 2016 Olympics is reviewed.
Speaking on behalf of the International Olympic Committee, the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) President, Habu Gumel said those involved in doping will be fished out somehow.
While stressing the need to always compete fairly, Gumel tasked sports federations to start planning ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
He said the NOC will always be willing to assist the federations to achieve their goals.