On consecutive evenings in August 2012, Americans Lashinda Demus and Erik Kynard Jr. produced Olympic champion performances in the 400m hurdles and high jump, respectively.
On August 9, 2024, Demus and Kynard received the gold medals they should have received 12 years earlier.
Demus and Kynard initially finished second at the London Games behind the Russians who were later disqualified for doping violations.
Thus, at the Paris Games last summer, the Americans were honored, belatedly, and heard the stars and stripes during a ceremony in front of the Eiffel Tower.
“The difference between being a silver medalist and a gold medalist, it can literally change your life,” Demus said in an IOC short film about her career released Saturday (video at the top of this post).
Demus entered the 2012 Olympics as the reigning world champion and, at the time, the third-fastest woman in history in the event.
In the 400m hurdles final, she strove to chase down Russia’s Natalya Antyukh in her final strides, ultimately finishing seven hundredths of a second behind.
“Of course I wanted the gold medal; I won’t stop until I get the gold medal,” Demus told Lewis Johnson. on NBC after the race. She was unable to return to the 2016 Olympics after a series of injuries.
“The disappointment was great, and I think one of the main reasons was that I knew I was 29 at that point and this could potentially be my last Olympics,” Demus said in the film of the IOC.
Demus had already done an extraordinary job just to get to London. She returned after having twins in 2007 and missed the 2008 Olympic team by one spot at the trials. She nearly tore her hamstring just three months before the 2012 Games. She was still in pain at the Olympics.
Demus was a trailblazer for champion sprint moms – like Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Allyson Felix – as well as American gold medalists in the women’s 400m hurdles. Demus is the first American to win the Olympic title in this event, followed directly by Dalilah Muhammad (Rio 2016) and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024).
“The fastest mom in the world is definitely going above the silver medal, absolutely, but now we’re talking about the gold medal. She might go just below that one,” she said. declared while smiling and laughing.
Kynard, who is eight years younger than Demus, made his Olympic debut in London. A year earlier, at age 20, he placed 14th in his World Championship debut. This did not discourage him.
“I had a goal of winning an Olympic gold medal,” he said. “I wasn’t just about being part of the team.”
Kynard knocked over the bar on his second vault in the 2012 Olympic final. He rebounded to complete his next three vaults. Only Kynard and the Russian Ivan Ukhov cleared 2.33 meters.
Kynard, whose personal best was 2.34, tried 2.36, 2.38 and 2.40 to no avail. Ukhov managed 2.36 and 2.38.
“It was hard to stand there and face him and know that things weren’t right and be by his side,” Kynard said, noting that he was aware of the “swirling rumors” about the Russian athletes and doping. “Oh, I was upset.”
Kynard rarely wore his medal over the next few days. He didn’t understand why those around him were celebrating him for finishing second.
“It’s exhausting to go through something like this,” he said. “That’s when I realized how dangerous my point of view was. You can drive yourself crazy by being self-critical like that.”
In 2021, after Ukhov’s disqualification, Kynard said the time for celebrations was over after so many years. On August 9, 2024, Kynard participated in the ceremony in Paris in front of a cheering crowd as he wore his gold medal.
“Everyone expected me to be bitter about the re-awarding of medals and the scandals,” he said in the IOC film. “I could sit there, like, man, I missed out on so much money or sponsorships. Even though those things are reality, honestly, it’s like I’m as great as I thought I was. I have my gold medal, and there is closure on Erik Kynard’s story as an athlete.
Shannon Rowbury moves closer to possible Olympic 1500m medal at 2012 Olympics
Shannon Rowbury was reclassified to third place in the 2012 Olympic women’s 1,500m, but the bronze medal has not yet been re-awarded.
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