Olive Loughnane ‘in state of shock’ as golden moment finally arrives

It may have taken seven years, but Olive Loughnane can finally call herself a world champion, and what’s more, she now has the medal to prove it.

Yesterday evening in Amsterdam, the 40-year-old Galway woman was awarded the 20km race walk gold medal from the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, a race in which she crossed the line 49 seconds behind Russia’s Olga Kaniskina, who was retroactively banned for doping earlier this year.

In the shadow of the Olympic stadium last night, Loughnane stood atop the podium in front of a gathering of Irish fans, Loughrea flag in hand, and fought back the tears as Amhrán na bhFiann rang out across the medal plaza.