4,384 Days. It’s been a long wait. A long fight to right a wrong. When the gold medal is placed around her neck in Champions Park at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 beneath the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower on August 9th – U.S. Olympian Lashinda Demus will finally kiss her medal as the champion of the 400-meter hurdles race from the Olympic Games London 2012. This will be the first-ever medal reallocation ceremony held at a Summer Olympic Games.
Since accepting the silver medal at the London Olympic Games, Demus has fought for the gold medal that was rightfully hers. “This broke my heart as I knew I was the best runner in the race,” Demus stated. “Once I get to Paris, for the Olympic Medal Ceremony, my broken heart will finally be healed.”
The gold medalist was disqualified for doping, making Demus the first-ever American to win the 400m hurdles. Demus’ journey and her fight is a testament to her indomitable spirit. Since then, the married mother of four has worked relentlessly with the IOC since October 2022 for this moment of glory for all. A true pioneer, in 2012 she was called the fastest mother in the world as her twins (Dontay and Duaine Mayrant), then-aged 5, were in the stands cheering her on.
In March of 2023, the IOC announced Demus would be awarded the gold medal. Demus had dreams of the IOC presenting the medal to her in Paris’ Olympic Stadium at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Due to Olympic Stadium scheduling and IOC regulations, the IOC and Demus collaborated together on the idea of holding the medal reallocation ceremony in the Champions Park.
She is excited she’ll be celebrating the moment with family, friends and London 2012 competitors. “I’m thrilled the IOC will also recognize the deserving silver and bronze medalists, Zuzana Henjnova of Chechia and Kaliese Spencer of Jamaica, respectively, as well,” Demus said. “I also want to thank the USOPC for their continued support.”
Demus’ husband, Jamel Mayrant, and their four sons will accompany them to Paris for the ceremony: the now-16-year-old twins, Dontay and Duaine, Syre (5), and Sincere (4).
Lashinda Demus Bio
- Two-time Olympian (2004 Athens Semis, 2012 London Gold Medalist)
- Two-time World Champion (400m hurdles, 4x400m relay)
- Native of Inglewood, California (2001 Long Beach Wilson HS Graduate)
- University of South Carolina 4-time NCAA Champion (2015 Graduate)
To assist with travel costs to Paris, a Go Fund Me page has been established by the family
WATCH: Rewriting history: 10 years later USA’s Lashinda Demus likely to go from silver to gold
The story never mentions who the original winner was — the runner who later got DQ’ed for a positive doping test. Shouldn’t she at least have been identified? Journalism 101….
Thanks for the feedback Jamie – the original winner was Natalya Antyukh from Russia