Laura Muir reveals mixed emotions after being awarded retrospective bronze medal

Scottish athlete pushed up to third following Korobkina’s doping offences

Scottish athlete Laura Muir has revealed she has “mixed emotions” after being awarded a retrospective 3000m bronze medal from the 2015 European Indoors.

Muir, who finished fourth in the final at the Prague event, has been pushed up to third place after Yelena Korobkina was found guilty of doping offences. The Russian runner has been banned for four years from September 2023 and will have her results expunged for a period of three years, from July 2013 to July 2016. That timespan covers the 2015 European Indoors and the Scot will now receive a newly-issued bronze medal, with gold for Sviatlana Kudzelich of Belarus and silver for Maureen Koster of Holland.

Muir said: “Hearing the news that I will be receiving a championship medal almost a decade after the race itself is one of mixed emotions. Predominantly I feel very fortunate and grateful to receive the bronze medal, particularly when still competing at an elite level, as I am aware many athletes are not afforded that opportunity. Had I received the medal on the day of the race in Prague in 2015, it would have been my first senior international medal at an age of 21-years-old.

Laura Muir has claimed a retrospective European Indoors medal from 2015.

“Missing out on that special moment, especially as I was not on the podium on the night, was very difficult. But looking back it made me more determined than ever to ensure the same outcome didn’t happen for future championships. Which luckily has been the case! I would like to say a massive thank you to all those involved in the process which results in the medal now being awarded to me. I cannot emphasise or explain how much it means to the athletes to have the results rectified and the medals awarded to those who compete within the rules of our sport. So I am very excited to see that particular European Indoors 2015 medal and it will have a proud place alongside my other sporting accomplishments.”

A reallocated ceremony will be arranged to try and give due acknowledgement of the achievement and it takes the 30-year-old significant medal haul to 14 total.