Adam Nelson was honored at the US athletics championships on Sunday in recognition of the 2004 Olympic shot put gold he was awarded last month after Yuriy Bilonoh’s doping disqualification.
Nelson had taken silver behind his Ukraine rival on August 18, 2004, in the ancient Olympic Stadium at Olympia, Greece.
Although the actual gold medal had not yet arrived, USA Track and Field honored Nelson with a podium ceremony at Drake Stadium, where he donned a wreath and held a bouquet as the national anthem played, then took a victory lap with his wife and two small daughters.
“Because it happened so long ago, the emotions are more subdued,” said Nelson, adding that receiving the gold at this late date nevertheless showed that integrity will eventually pay off.
Nelson’s international medal tally now includes the 2004 Olympic gold as well as 2000 Olympic silver, the 2005 world title and three world championship runner-up finishes.
Nelson said he had heard early in his career that no one could contend in the shot put without doping. But he said he tried never to worry about what his competitors were doing in that department.
“I don’t let those things consume me,” he said. “If you don’t trust the system, it’s self-defeating.”
Bilonoh had been declared the Athens winner for a throw of 21.16 metres on the last of his six attempts. But when a 2004 drug sample was re-tested last year, it came back positive for steroids.
In the revised results, seven-time US champion Nelson won with a throw of 21.16m on his first attempt, his only successful attempt of the competition.
Denmark’s Joachim Olsen moved into Nelson’s former silver medal spot at 21.07m while Spain’s Manuel Martinez moved up to claim the bronze medal at 20.84.
Nelson's belated shot put gold honored
