Olga Rypakova to receive 2008 World Cup medal from IAAF

ASTANA. KAZINFORM The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) invites Kazakh athlete Olga Rypakova to the upcoming World Indoor Athletics Championships in Birmingham to present her with the bronze medal of the 2008 World Championships, Sportinform cites the Athletics Federation of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

"It bears reminding that last year it was decided to re-analyze the doping samples for the 2008 World Indoor Athletics Championships held in Valencia and disqualify Hrysopiyi Devetzi of Greece, a silver triple jump medalist. Having jumping 14.58 meters in Valencia, Kazakh athlete Olga Rypakova finished fourth. The 2008 World Cup first, second, and fourth places were taken by Cuban Yargelis Savigne (15.05 m), Devetzi (15.00m), and Marija Šestak of Slovenia (14.68 m). After the disqualification of the Greek athlete, the representative of Kazakhstan became the bronze medalist," the statement says.

In IAAF's official letter sent to the Kazakhstan Athletics Federation, it is said that Olga Rypakova is invited to the World Indoor Championships, which will be hosted by Birmingham from March 1 to 4, to get the bronze medal.

The letter also says that the IAAF will cover travel related expenses. In case the athlete cannot come to the medal ceremony, her 2008 World Cup medal will be presented to the Kazakhstan Athletics Federation.

It is to be recalled that in 2016, Olga Rypakova received the 2008 Summer Olympics bronze medal after Devetzi was stripped of it over doping. At Beijing 2008, the Greek athlete finished third, while Rypakova was fourth.

As a result, the Kazakh athlete has won three medals at the Olympics, at the World Cup, and at the World Indoor Championships apiece.