The British men's 4x400m relay team won the gold medals at the 1997 World Athletics Championships a full 28 years after the championship. This happened during the Diamond League in London and after the American team was disqualified, BTA reported.
The United States was the champion in the competition, but in 2008 Antonio Pettigrew revealed that he had taken doping between 1997 and 2003. The Americans also lost their 2000 Olympic title after a long investigation and subsequent appeal.
So today, the British Roger Black, Ewan Thomas, Jamie Bolch, Mark Richardson and Mark Hilton, who is running in the qualifiers, received their gold medals from the President of World Athletics - Sebastian Coe. They were applauded by nearly 60 thousand at the stadium, where a round of the Diamond League is taking place today, and the British anthem was also played according to the regulations.
"We are delighted to be awarding these athletes in front of a home audience. The medals mean even more to them given the many years they have been waiting for them," said Cherie Alexander, head of British Athletics.
Pettigrew was found dead in his car in the United States at the age of 42 in 2010. An autopsy revealed that the American had committed suicide by overdose of drugs.
Earlier on Saturday, the British government announced that it was supporting London's bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships. The English capital last hosted the championships in 2017 at the Olympic Stadium.