Qieyang Shenjie welcomed the news of the London 2012 Olympic gold medal while training with seven other walkers in Saluzzo in Italy, under the guidance of Sandro Damilano.
She found out with a phone call and through a message on We Chat.
We asked Sandro Damilano to let us have a brief comment from her given the time that had elapsed since that race on 11 August which had seen her side by side with Yelena Lashmanova up to over 18km and then succumbed for 14 cursed seconds, finishing third on the finish line. The disqualification of Olga Kaniskina then earned her silver. That achievement was her personal best for nearly nine years (1:25:16) until on March 20, 2021, she improved it to Huangshan in 1:24:45.
Here are her statements.
Ten years have passed, and I discovered that I won my Olympic title in the 2012 20km in this way.
I am happy, but also sad when I heard the news.
Happy to be the champion Champion, as I hoped in my heart.
Happy to have an Olympic gold medal even though a long time has passed and I don't know when I will have it, but I have an Olympic victory to prove myself again.
The sad thing is that I have not heard the anthem of my country that an Olympic champion expects to hear on the podium.
I didn't have the Olympic laurel wreath on that podium. Even if the Olympic laurel is temporary, it is precisely that of that precise moment that an athlete would like to have.
I therefore did not obtain the recognition of the value of myself in that specific moment and together with it the value of what I was able to achieve in that season.
But the past is past, and then I'm still trying to get it.
Now it's been ten years even in my age and I'm looking at everything from top to bottom.
For me tomorrow, in Saluzzo, it will be a new beginning, it will be like starting from scratch.
Thanks to those who trained me and trains me, thanks to those who supported me and still supports me, thanks for cheering for me for so many years.
I wish you, and also myself, to live in health, peace and happiness.