Kelly Sotherton: Olympic medal means i'm not a failure

The Birmingham-based former heptathlete has been given third from the 2008 Beijing Olympics after Tatyana Chernova, from Russia, tested positive for a steroid.

Sotherton – who retired in 2012 due to a back problem – was awarded bronze for the 4x400m relay from the same Games in November after Belarus and Russia's disqualifications too, and those medals add to her heptathlon bronze at the 2004 Athens Games.

Speaking to the Express & Star, she said: "It is a mixture of feelings, really. Obviously I'm happy, then I'm sad and a bit angry about missing the moment. Overall, it's confirming that, actually, I was not a failure after Beijing.

"I feel like my career has been vindicated. I feel my career has meant more now.

"Yes, it is nine years late, however, I knew that medal was mine.

"I feel a lot happier because I left in tears from Beijing.

"It's made me feel a lot happier about my whole career."

Sotherton will be competing in the Great Birmingham 10k on Sunday as a pacer, taking on the Duracell Bunny Challenge and looking to complete the course within an hour.

She said: "It's about maintaining a good pace and being strong, and holding pace throughout. Hopefully I will inspire a few people around me who are going to expect me to be bang on 60 minutes, which is a challenge.

"I'm not looking forward to the end of the course as it's uphill and then downhill.It's the first time I've actually run the roads of Birmingham so I'm nervous, but

excited."