The Athens Olympic shot put gold medal is finally in the hands of its rightful owner.
American Adam Nelson tweeted a picture of the medal Wednesday.
Thank you to USATF, USOC, IOC, and Ukraine for making this right. Today, the gold came home. pic.twitter.com/OXtv6cR1VK
— AdamNelson (@AdamMcNelson) July 31, 2013
In May, Nelson was elevated from Olympic silver to gold by the International Olympic Committee after Ukraine’s Yuriy Bilonog was stripped of it for doping.
In June, Nelson was given a victory ceremony at the USA Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. A wreath was placed on his head, as every medalist at the 2004 Olympics received. He listened to the national anthem play. He took a victory lap with an American flag around the track.
But, it appears the gold medal didn’t arrive until Wednesday.
A three-time Olympian, Nelson also won silver at the 2000 Olympics as well as shot put medals at four straight world championships from 2001 to 2007.
Nelson, 38, failed to make the 2012 Olympic team but delivered one of the great quotes of the year afterward.
“I hope that people see you can do this a long time, there is a right way to do it,” he said, according to LetsRun.com. “When you do it the right way and you do it every single day, the hard work pays off time and time again. You’re going to have bad days, you’re going to have good days. On balance you’re going to have more good days than bad days. I hope people see that. The bottom line is if you don’t love it, don’t do it.”
