Updated at 21.30
OLIVE LOUGHNANE SAYS she has no ill feelings towards the Russian athlete who is under investigation for doping offences despite Olga Kaniskina allegedly cheating her way to a gold medal.
Kaniskina is one of five Russian walkers – including three Olympic champions – to be provisionally suspended as the Russian anti-doping body RUSADA conduct their inquiry.
The 30-year-old won the Women’s 20km Race Walk at the World Championship in August 2010, pipping Loughnane to gold.
RUSADA are reporting that Kaniskina’s results between 15 July 2009 and 16 September 2009, a period which included the race in Berlin, will be cancelled.
If that’s the case, Loughnane will be upgraded to a gold medal and will become just the fourth Irish athelete to win a World gold.
“Hopefully it all works out,” she told 2fm’s Game On this evening. “It’s just one of those things that shows the power of social media. I got a text myself about one o’clock and then around 2pm I heard about the statement from the Russian doping authority so fingers crossed.”
“My daughter is wondering if I’ll still be able to hold onto the silver one as it’s got my name. Also, she wants to know if I get the gold will it come with her [Kaniskina's] name on it.”
Despite the doping allegations, Loughnane insists she holds no grudge towards Kaniskina despite her apparent illegal activity.
“I suppose you have to remember it was my first, well only major medal, and I was really excited on the day to finish second, I knew I gave it everything and knew I couldn’t give it another step.
“I felt with 6km I couldn’t walk another step and I still managed to get to 20k so suppose I didn’t really think about it at the top but there was a pocket of Russians there at the time that nobody really believed in but as a competitor I couldn’t think about that as it was totally outside my control.”
The 39-year-old, who retired after London 2012, says she would have loved to stand on the podium as the World Champion but there is nothing that can be done about it now.
“Everytime I went out I went out to beat whoever was put in front of me and whatever they did off the scene in the days before the race which was beyond my control. You’ve got to remember as well that I was on the podium, it’s different for Roisin [McGettigan] and Rob [Heffernan] who were denied that moment.
“Of course, it would have been a proud moment to hear Amrhán na bhFiann but there is nothing I could do about it.
“What better position to be going from silver to gold: that makes it a bit easier. I was so proud that day of what I did and I knew it was entirely my achievement and I had given all I gave.”
Today’s revelations came as no surprise to Loughnane who was always suspicious of the way in which young Russian athletes were emerging out of nowhere to win World titles.
“Those girls have been caught and it’s brilliant because if I was still athlete, I would be inspired. I would go out tomorrow and train with a spring in my step. It’s very satisfying to see it.
“I wonder what she felt like at the time, knowing she was dirty.”
Of the 17 Russian walkers who won medals at the Olympics or World Championships in the last ten years, 16 of them are either banned or currently under investigation for doping.
“It’s shocking but it was the same group, the same pocket. it’s stunning,” Loughnane added.
Originally published at 20.48
