Canadian weightlifter Christine Girard to be awarded London 2012 Olympic gold
NOTE: Christine Girard will be available today to speak to media. Please contact Joshua Su to coordinate a phone interview.
(Cover photo: AP/Hassan Ammar)
TORONTO (April 19, 2018) – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed that two-time Olympian, Christine Girard, will be awarded the London 2012 weightlifting gold medal in the 63kg weight class.
Girard was initially awarded the bronze medal at London 2012. After the IOC ordered retesting of more than 1500 urine samples from Beijing 2008 and London 2012, the samples from two athletes who placed ahead of Girard, Maiya Maneza of Kazakhstan and Svetlana Tsarukaeva of Russia, were found positive for doping. They were disqualified losing their placings and medals. Christine Girard has now been confirmed the London 2012 Olympic Champion.
Girard becomes the first Olympic Champion in Canadian weightlifting history and the first Canadian to win two medals in the sport. In late 2016, Girard was awarded the bronze medal from Beijing 2008 after Irina Nekrassova of Kazakhstan was stripped of her silver medal for testing positive for banned substances. Girard had initially placed fourth in the event.
Girard joins two-time Olympic Champion, Rosie MacLennan, as Canada’s only gold medallists from London 2012 with the medal count remaining at 18 (2 gold, 5 silver and 11 bronze). Canada now has four Olympic medals in weightlifting including two silver medals (Gerry Gratton, Helsinki 1952 and Jacques Demers, Los Angeles 1984).
The Canadian Olympic Committee is in close contact with IOC officials to organize a medal ceremony for Girard which will be announced at a later date.
QUOTES:
“I never doubted for a moment, that I did all that I could do to win that gold medal. To have my efforts and those of my trainers, family and supporters validated, means the world to me, even if it is after six long years. This gold medal is a testament to clean sport. It means even more to me now, than had I heard O Canada played that day in London.”
– Christine Girard, Two-time Olympic medallist, Weightlifting
“Congratulations to Christine for this spectacular achievement. She is a weightlifting trailblazer in so many ways and we are extremely proud of her. Christine has always lived the values of sport and of competing clean. We are so pleased to see her finally receive the Olympic gold medal which she has so rightfully earned. We will consult with Christine and the IOC to ensure her well-deserved and long-awaited celebration. The COC continues to support clean sport to provide all athletes a fair and level playing field.”
– Tricia Smith, President, Canadian Olympic Committee
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Joshua Su, Coordinator, Communications
Tel: 416-324-4303 / Cell: 647-464-4060
Email: jsu@olympic.ca
Photi Sotiropoulos, Director, Communications and Media Relations
Canadian Olympic Committee
Tel: 416-324-4298 / Cell: 416-476-9174
Email: psotiropoulos@olympic.ca