On September 1, the Lithuanian Athletics Federation (LLAF) received the happy news – European Athletics officially announced the long-awaited bronze medal. It will soon be sent and delivered to Lithuania, and its owner is Brigita Virbalytė-Dimšienė. The representative of sports walking finished fourth at the 2018 European Championships, but this year the winner Anežka Drahotova was disqualified due to doping, so the podium line-up changed.
A. Drahotova, who took second place in the 20 km athletic walking event seven years ago in Berlin (Germany), was disqualified following a decision by the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), so her result at the European Championships is invalid. The second place was won by the Italian Antonella Palmisano, and the Lithuanian 20 km athletic walking record (1 hour 27 minutes 59 seconds) B. Virbalytė-Dimšienė, who recorded in the Old Continent Championship, will receive a well-deserved bronze. By the way, Živilė Vaiciukevičiūtė rose from fifth to fourth place in the lineup.
Initial news of the CAS’s long-running and ultimately closed doping case reached May but there was no official confirmation from European Athletics at the time.
“In the initial letter, European Athletics said that they were not properly informed about the progress at the time. There were probably various court proceedings as well. It is difficult to comment on what happened inside, but most likely European Athletics lacked details. There are more than one and not two such cases, so we had to take action at the LLAF and we were the first to turn to European Athletics,” B. Virbalytė-Dimšienė commented on the prolonged period.
B. Virbalytė-Dimšienė, who learned about the official letter from European Athletics last week, said that it was important, but did not evoke as many emotions as in May: “Last Monday, the president of the LLAF Eimantas Skrabulis called me and informed me about the letter. That day was ambiguous, because in the first half of the day I found out about the National Sports Agency, where I work, was being destroyed, and in the evening the president of the LLAF called. When I saw the letter, I was convinced that it was exactly the one we were waiting for. It is really good news, but since the process is protracted, there were not as many emotions as in May. A signature letter is an important confirmation that shows that the process is coming to an end.”
Almost a year ago, B. Virbalytė-Dimšienė, who announced the end of an impressive career, played professional sports for 26 years, during which she managed to participate in three Olympic Games in a row and become the Lithuanian champion more than 30 times. 2012 The athlete, who made her debut at the London Olympics, took 23rd place, in 2016. He finished 29th in Rio de Janeiro and 26th in Tokyo in 2021.
During the interview, in which the athlete reviewed her career, it was hinted: “The bitterness will remain, but if I get that medal back, there would be some compensation.” The athlete does not renounce this idea and now, however, the desire to hold the medal in her hands and enjoy it together with the community is huge:
“Nothing will bring back the emotion I would have experienced in Berlin. That would be my greatest achievement, which could have changed my career. What I was most afraid of is that this is what will happen – the medal from European Athletics will be sent to Lithuania. I said that I wouldn’t want to get it by parcel locker, but that’s what will happen. However, E. Skrabulis assured that he would figure out how to give it honorably, and not just hand it over. I hope that I will have the opportunity to rejoice together with my community.
Of course, this will not replace the emotion of climbing the podium. I even had thoughts of going to Berlin and thus giving meaning to the return of the medal, but now I don’t have such a plan, because it was an active summer, and the protracted process suppresses the joyful emotion. My greatest desire is to hold a medal in my hands and enjoy it with the people closest to me.”
The Lithuanian track record holder in the 3000 m, 5000 m, 10 km, 20 km distances and 3000 m and 5000 m indoor distances became the vice-champion of Oceania (2017) during her career, participated in six World Championships and four European Championships. In addition, in 2017, together with the Lithuanian team, he won bronze in the European Sports Walking Cup.
Fourth place (now third – author’s note) The European Championships, the seventh place in the World Championships and other achievements are resounding, but the walker does not hide the fact that the medal won and awarded at that time could have opened even more doors: “I felt bitter that I had not won a medal at the World and European Championships. The athletes who have medals are the most visible in society. It’s like proof that you belong to the elite. I spent 26 years in sports, I participated in three Olympic Games, but I didn’t have such an imprint [medal], which is really important to me. Maybe that year I would be nominated as the best athlete in the country, maybe I would win another award or attract the attention of sponsors. After all, everyone needs an award. Now it is even difficult to imagine what paths that medal would have opened at that time. For me personally, this bronze is a confirmation that I have proven that I belong to the elite of sports during my career.”
B. Virbalytė-Dimšienė, who will soon receive the bronze, said that she has not yet planned a place for him in her home, but the trophy room, which is overflowing with awards, will be supplemented with an exclusive medal: “I have not planned a place yet, because first of all I would like to be happy with those people who care about the medal coming back to me. I would definitely let everyone feel it. I have a trophy room at home, but I rarely go into it. There are many awards in it, they don’t fit, but I have no doubt that I will find an honorable place for this medal. This award is special because it gives meaning to my career. It’s symbolic, because I can already call myself the winner of the European Championship, this post can be seen on my World Athletics profile, but when I’ve been waiting for so many years, that medal will be like a dot at the end of the sentence.”
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Photo by Alfredas Pliadis
