Lashinda Demus received the silver medal after finishing second in the 400 meters hurdles at the 2012 London Olympics. She was 0.07 seconds behind Russia's Natalya Antyukh.
However, 12 years later, the American Olympian will receive the gold medal at the Paris Games later this summer, as Antyukh was found to be among the doped Russian athletes.
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Russia's Natalya Antyukh, center, holds the gold medal, Lashinda Demus of the United States, left, holds the silver medal, and Zuzana Hejnova of the Czech Republic holds the bronze medal during a 400 ceremony women's hurdles meters at the Olympic Stadium at the Summer Olympic Games in London on August 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
Demus, 41, fought to be awarded his medal at the Champions Park in Paris, in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. She sought more than just a pro forma commemoration.
“I guess I would have appreciated a little more glitz and glamor for the people receiving their medals,” he told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “It's a work in progress. I'm moving forward in good faith. I'm glad to be at the forefront of this. I can literally say I'm the pioneer of this movement.”
Demus believes he took a big financial hit with second place. She also admitted that she realized at that moment that Antyukh had never beaten her before the hurdles event.
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Silver medalist Lashinda Demus of the United States poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the women's 400 meters hurdles on day 13 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 9, 2012 in London. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
“But it wasn't in my mindset that anyone who hits me is automatically going to be dirty. I didn't let that creep into my thinking,” Demus said. “I just accepted that I lost and did my best to move on. But it was a five or six year process of overcoming failure at something I had trained my whole life to do.”
American high jumper Erik Kynard is also expected to receive a medal at the Aug. 9 ceremony.
“It doesn't break my heart,” Demus added. “But what comes to mind is that (doping) will never go away. I don't think anything has changed since the big Russian scandal. I think it will always be there.”
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Lashinda Demus of the United States watches the women's 400 meters hurdles final during day six of the 14th IAAF World Athletics Championships Moscow 2013 at Luzhniki Stadium on August 15, 2013 in Moscow. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Demus finished his career with the only Olympic gold medal. She also won two gold medals at the World Championships in 2009 and 2011 respectively.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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