Standing on the podium, with a medal around your neck and a flag soaring high, is the culmination of years of dedication and hard work for any athlete. However, for Alysia Montaño, the prospect of receiving her first Olympic medal feels more like a hollow victory than a cause for celebration.
In a late-night revelation in Cleveland this year, Montaño learned that her fourth-place finish at the 2012 Olympics is set to be upgraded to a bronze medal. Yet, this news brought forth a wave of mixed emotions, far from the jubilation one would expect. Alone in her hotel room, miles away from home, Montaño couldn't help but feel a sense of emptiness and longing.
The moment that should have been a highlight of her athletic career, filled with cheers from her family in a bustling stadium, was instead replaced by a somber reflection as she lay on her bed staring at the ceiling. "A stab in the gut, in the heart, really," Montaño expressed, describing her conflicting emotions of what should have been a triumphant moment.
Her original placement of fifth in the women’s 800-meter final at the London Olympics saw her narrowly missing out on a medal, with two Russian athletes ahead of her – Mariya Savinova and Ekaterina Guliyev (formerly known as Ekaterina Poistogova). However, revelations from a 2015 report commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) exposed these athletes as beneficiaries of Russia’s state-sponsored doping program.
Now, after years of uncertainty and waiting, Montaño's performance is finally receiving the recognition it deserves. However, the circumstances surrounding this belated recognition only serve as a reminder of the challenges and injustices that often accompany elite sports competitions.
Savinova lost her gold medal in 2017, and now Guliyev faces the same fate as her silver medal is set to be downgraded after the Athletics Integrity Unit's recent announcement. Guliyev, who now competes for Turkey under her husband’s surname, has been handed a two-year ban pending her appeal by May 13.
Having previously served a two-year ban for doping violations, Guliyev attempted to argue in a tribunal that there was insufficient evidence for further charges against her. The Turkish Athletic Federation is yet to provide additional comments on the matter.
For Alysia Montaño, the rollercoaster of emotions ranged from joy to sadness and even grief upon learning of the potential bronze medal. Her sadness deepens when she reflects on her grandmother, who celebrated her 100th birthday watching Montaño's race from a hospital bed, unaware of the future medal upgrade.
"You can’t ever get that back," Montaño, now 38, laments. "The loss is history lost; the loss is the moment lost; the loss is the people who were there to hug you and cheer for you; the loss is the homecoming parade. These things are very real."
This isn't unfamiliar territory for Montaño, who previously received retroactive bronze medals for her performances at the 2011 and 2013 world championships after Savinova's disqualification from gold in both events.
During her competitive years, Montaño harbored suspicions about her Russian competitors, noting significant performance improvements and their ease in surpassing her on the track. These suspicions have now been validated with the recent doping-related developments.
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Montaño vividly describes competing against alleged doping "robots," highlighting the stark difference in athletic encounters. She contrasts the visceral experience of racing against human competitors with the perceived mechanical efficiency of those under doping influence.
Years after her world championship victories, Montaño finally experienced the long-awaited medal ceremonies in Doha in 2019. However, the sparse crowd and lackluster fireworks left her feeling unfulfilled, accentuating the emptiness of the delayed recognition.
Looking ahead, Montaño aims to receive her Olympic medal at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, envisioning a moment shared with loved ones and supporters. She draws parallels with American shot putter Adam Nelson's delayed medal ceremony next to a Burger King, emphasizing the significance of the right setting for such milestones.
Financial restitution is also on Montaño's agenda, seeking to recover losses incurred by the delayed medal and missed opportunities. Her sponsor, Clif Bar, has already committed to providing a financial bonus for her third-place finish in 2012, despite her partnership starting post-London Olympics.
The monetary impact of Olympic success extends beyond the medal itself, influencing an athlete's earning potential through enhanced visibility, appearance fees, and future contracts. Montaño's quest for compensation reflects the broader implications of delayed recognition and the financial stakes involved in elite sports.
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