Shannon Rowbury, a now three-time Olympic medalist, is set to be awarded a bronze medal after another doping case was discovered in the 1,500-meter race. This race in the 2012 Olympic race was notoriously dirty, with six of the top nine finishers testing positive for doping. Very recently, Tatayana Tomashova, a Russian two-time world champion who placed second in this race, received a ten-year ban by the Court of Arbitration for Sport after testing positive for anabolic steroids.

That day, Rowbury placed sixth but because of all the disqualifications and bans was upgraded to third place twelve years later.

When asked what he would do if he was in the same type of situation as her, with only earning her just medal twelve years later, Slade McClure (9th) said, “I would feel…confused and have a hard time accepting how they took 10 years to make th[is] decision.”

Mrs. Stevens added to this, remarking that it is important to follow rules about doping in contests like the Olympics: “Anyone who is an Olympic athlete should really be competing based on their own skill level. It should not be based on who has more access [to performance enhancing drugs]and whose coaches are more willing to bend or break the rules, it should just be based on your natural ability.”

Shannon Rowbury’s hard-earned bronze medal is a testament to her perseverance and a powerful reminder that justice, although delayed, will always prevail.