Cechlova receives 2004 Olympic bronze

Prague - Czech discus thrower Vera Cechlova received the bronze medal from 2004 Athens Olympics as Belarusian Iryna Yatchenko was stripped of the medal.

Yatchenko won the bronze in women’s discus throw with a result of 66.17 metres while Cechlova finished fourth (66.08m), reports Xinhua.

In 2012, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to perform further tests on certain samples provided during the 2004 Games. Four athletes, including Yatchenko, tested positive. The test proved the presence of anabolic steroids in her urine and she was officially disqualified in December 2012. In May 2013, the IOC gave the bronze to Cechlova.

“The medal is as precious for me as if I had won it at the stadium. When I was a small girl I wished to succeed at the Olympics; this was my greatest motivation. I worked really hard to achieve it,” Cechlova said Thursday.